The Snake's Charm, and the Fox's Tale
by DarkMagister06
Summary: What if Naruto decided to end his own life? What if at this pinnacle of emotion he was saved by Anko and instead of growing up alone he learned to rely on her? Taking him under her wing Anko becomes the sensei he never he wanted and Naruto becomes the piece of her life Anko never knew she needed. Full summary inside AnkoxNaru pairing M for possible lemons later language and fights
1. Chapter 1: Tears of the Demon

**Full Summary: What if Naruto at the age of five had decided he had enough of a village so filled with hate, he attempted to end his own life? What if at this pinnacle of emotion he was saved by Anko and instead of growing up alone he learned to rely on her? Taking him under her wing Anko becomes the sensei he never he wanted and Naruto becoming the piece of her life Anko never knew she needed. Can such an odd relationship stand, or does it blossom into something else?**

**AN:This is my first attempt at a fan fiction, so reviews are welcome and appreciated.**

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**Chapter 1: The Demon's Tears**

**Naruto Uzamaki**

A lone figure walked the desolate streets of Konoha, once again bleeding and in pain. He was a small boy for his age, with a head full of blonde hair, and eyes so blue they rivaled the oceans luster. He had what looked like whiskers on both cheeks. The black t-shirt he was wearing was torn, battered, and covered in dirt. The boy looked like he had been on the bad end of a beating, which he had been. It had happened only a few hours ago, and the boy remembered it well. After all, how many times had he been on the receiving end of that beating in his short life? A hundred times? A thousand? He could no longer count the times he had faced such abuse but this time, something was different. When they had beat him nearly into unconsciousness and the sweet relief of that darkness, they had stopped. An ANBU had stopped them from rendering the boy immobile, telling the crowd to disperse before they were deemed to have taken criminal action. The villagers left in a hurry, leaving Naruto and the ANBU alone. Instead of making any attempt to heal Naruto as some of the other ANBU may have done, he instead knelt down next to the prone Naruto and spoke to him in a voice so filled with hate, it seemed to thicken the air.

"You are a disease. You're continued existence a joke, and if I could I would end you here and now... But those are not my orders. So instead you will lay here in your blood, and the dirt, and the trash. You may heal at a faster rate than most, but after that beating I can imagine it'll take a long while. I hope it is as slow and painful as all those lives you once ended Naruto." Standing the ANBU made a few hand signs to disappear adding at the last moment, "And don't hope for any help, my partner and I agree you should pay and we will be the one's watching you struggle in the dust like so many of our fallen comrades. How many of their pleas for mercy did you ignore? How much blood was shed that never seemed to sate your thirst?" With that, the shinobi was gone.

The ANBU was right that it took a long time for Naruto to heal, but in the moments that he had stood over Naruto and spoke, something broke inside Naruto. This time he could not get the image of the villagers beating him out of his mind, the ANBU standing over him, the death that everyone seemed to pray and hope for... It all came crashing down on the five year old as the tears he always fought so hard to keep at bay started to fall. He knew without a doubt, this village he called home hated him. The amount of people Naruto thought truly cared for him, he could count on one hand. Looking at his hand, it started to shake as he began to wonder, _What if Hokage-jiji doesn't really care about me? Isn't he supposed to control the ANBU? Isn't he the one that always tells me he cares? _Naruto thought over these questions and fell to his knees as the conclusion came to him.

_No, the Hokage doesn't care about me... He's known about these beatings ever since the first incident. He does control the ANBU, that's why they always step in AFTER I get a beating. _The stream of Naruto's tears slowed as he thought to himself and completely stopped as his little heart broke on the last thought. _Just words. That's all it ever was to him. He doesn't... No, he NEVER cared._ With those thoughts echoing in his mind, Naruto decided he had had enough. He was done trying to put on a smile as it was kicked out of him every day. Why pretend to be happy when each day he was treated just as coldly as before. With a dead look in his eyes, Naruto began walking...

* * *

**Anko Mitarashi**

It was getting late as lone woman walked through the Red Light District. She had on what others would call questionable at best, and unsavory at worst. She didn't give a damn about their opinions of her style though as what she had one she thought did the job she needed them to do. One might wonder what Shinobi sandals, ankle guards, a short orange battle skirt, fishnet shirt, and a trench coat would get done but that was besides the point. Anko had justified her wardrobe countless times, but everyone still either gawked or glared when she would pass them by. _Well screw them all. I am sick of them thinking I'm a- _Anko's thoughts were interrupted as a couple drunk men called out to her.

"Hey there! Why don't you come over here and join the party? Wouldn't want a pretty woman like you deprived of pleasant company. Am I right men?" The rest of the drunks cheered for their friend, and so he thought he had successfully picked up a girl when she stopped and walked back with a smile on her face. As she approached though the drunk slowly sobered up as he realized that rather than a warm, inviting smile, the near stripped woman before him had a smile that froze the blood in his veins.

"Pleasant company, huh? You're right, I would enjoy that." The smile that terrified the men still on her face, she proceeded to say more watching the men grow in both fear and astonishment. "I actually work for T and I. For those of you here too drunk to remember what that means it stands for Torture and Interrogation. My idea of pleasant company are the broken bodies I leave in pools of blood. So who wants to go first?" The smile only intensified as the drunks only gazed at her in horror, unable to say a single word. Sighing, Anko finally dropped the smile opting to instead reach forward and grab the entire bottle of sake off the table. Turning away from the drunken men, Anko took a swig straight from the bottle.

"Wait... She took the sake!" One of the drunk men protested when she was a good distance away.

"Do you know who that was? That was the snake whore of Konoha man... You're lucky she took just the Sake bottle, not your life." Anko drank another swig from the bottle at those words. The ones that had haunted her ever since her old sensei had abandoned her... 'Snake Whore.' It had somehow started on the lips of the few, but soon enough all of Konoha knew her as that title. There were a few other titles that they had added as well, but Anko didn't give a damn about acknowledging that kind of crap. She had better things to do with her time. Speaking of which, she took another swig of sake. _Almost gone already? Damn... I needed something to take the edge off. I guess I could always buy more..._ As that last thought hit her, she checked her wallet on the inside of her coat and came to a realization. _Shit. I can't be out of funds again already! I still need to pay off a month of rent. Maybe I could convince the Hokage to give me a few missions for decent pay? _

Lost in her thoughts Anko had managed to meander and walk out onto a lonely bridge over by the bath houses. Snapping out of it, she looked up noticing for the first time since leaving the Red Light District she was not alone. Standing at the edge of the bridge was some kid looking out at the water. She looked out were he was looking and saw nothing really of note. The moon was on the other side, so he wasn't staring at that. _No birds out there or people. What are you searching for kid?_ Anko was so busy analyzing him, she almost failed to notice he was now standing on top of the guard rail. Almost.

"What the hell are you doing kid?" Anko yelled to him trying to see if he would answer as she walked forward. She got her answer as the kid slowly leaned in and fell towards the water. _So he's going swimming? Why the hell dive off the bridge?_ Anko's confusion deepened as bubble came up from the dark water but not the kid. _Um... That's a lot of bubbles... Come on kid, got to come up for air sometime._ As Anko watched, the flow of bubbles slowed, then stopped. _Shit!_ Without another thought, Anko took off her coat and dived into the water. Hitting it Anko was amazed that there wasn't a layer of ice on top. _Hot damn! This water is freezing! What is that kid thinking?_ Quickly spotting the boy, she saw his eyes were closed and he didn't look like he was struggling.

Swimming down to him, she grabbed his tattered shirt and dragged him up towards the surface. Anko managed to pull him out of the water, and towards a small pad under the bridge used to help get to the sides and a ladder that could be used to get up to the streets. Taking stock of the situation, Anko soon realized why the bubbles weren't coming up anymore. The kid wasn't breathing! Anko worked quickly pumping his chest twice, and performing CPR. After a few agonizing moments were Anko wasn't sure if the kid was coming back, he soon was sputtering and coughing up all the water that he had inhaled.

Anko let out a relieved sigh as the boy attempted to completely recover, and before Anko knew it he had thrown himself against her chest as he cried hard enough to rock his little body. Putting her arms around him, she wondered just what was going through his mind.

* * *

**Naruto**

**A few minutes before the jump**

_Kami, I know just how much everyone hates me. It's pretty obvious now, so I'll make you a deal. Show me just one person who cares, ANYONE, and I will stop now._ Naruto continued walking towards the bridge waiting for that someone but no one appeared before Naruto. _That's what I thought... _Naruto looked out at the water, taking in the serenity of it all. _This is what everyone wants. It would be peaceful like this all the time if I was gone. _He picked himself up, getting on top of the guard rail. _I guess... I guess this is goodbye. _A lone tear fell from Naruto's eyes as he pitched his body slightly forward, hearing a woman's voice call out to him.

"What the hell are you doing kid?" He didn't turn as he fell into the water with a splash. The frigid water hit Naruto hard as he fell further into it's embrace. _Huh, so this is what it's like to drown. This isn't too bad._ As the bubbles left Naruto and went up towards the surface, he closed his eyes losing himself in the still water. As the last of Naruto's air left his body and traveled upwards, he was hit with a burning sensation from his lungs. His body was demanding air and he knew it, but still he fought to keep from panicking.

_This is what everyone wants though... They always say that they would rather I die._ A deep breath and the cold water flooded Naruto's lungs.

_It's so cold..._ The burning sensation was replaced with something else as he frantically began breathing in and out attempting to get air to his brain with it not realizing that the process didn't work well with water. It demanded oxygen and the way to get it was breathing.

_This is... what everyone... wants... Right...? _Naruto's mind was trying to make him swim up but he didn't have the strength to move anymore. He was still tense and hurting from the beating he took.

_Everyone but... me... Someone... Anyone... HELP! _ Naruto's last thoughts as the darkness claimed him.

Coughing and sputtering, Naruto got rid of a large portion of water that had recently resided in his lungs to see a women kneeling next to him, giving him some space to get rid of the water. She was dripping wet looking relieved that he was breathing again. Without hesitation, Naruto buried his head in her chest, hugging himself to her as he cried. _She saved me... She actually saved me... The one everyone hates... but SHE saved ME!_ His tears hardly did anything to make the shirt he was clinging to any wetter as she put her arms around him and rocked him gently. _Thank you Kami... You did send someone. I won't give this person up. I swear it._ Naruto vowed to himself that he would some how, some way, and some day thank this woman for saving him in more ways than one.

_Wow, the kid is crying pretty hard. I wonder what he's thinking. _Anko continued holding the boy until the tears slowly stopped and he finally let go of her. She was relieved he had let her go, but was surprised to see why he had let her go. The kid was now bowing to her on his knees, his head to the cold concrete they were on at the moment.

"I don't know why you saved me, but thank you." The kid still hadn't risen from his bowing posture and it was making Anko feel a bit awkward.

"Don't worry about it kid. It was no problem. Heh, you got a name?" Anko figured she should at least know just who it was that she saved, and noticed as his shoulders slumped, as if he didn't want to say his name.

"I'm... Naruto... Naruto Uzamaki." Anko quickly put together a mental picture of the jinchuuriki and couldn't understand why the boy had jumped into the water. _He always seemed so go lucky when I saw him in the street. What happened to him?_

"Well my name's Anko Mitarashi and I'm the better known as the sexiest kunoichi in Konoha." She added the last part with a small laugh, when Naruto looked up at her.

"Alight, thank you for saving me Mitarashi-san." Again Naruto bowed to Anko.

"Don't get all formal on me kid. Just call me Anko. I don't like the formality crap when I have to do it, and hearing it from you it doesn't seem any better." Naruto sat up finally as Anko finished speaking. "Now tell me why you tried to go swimming just a minute ago."

A look of complete and utter confusion passed over Naruto's face. "Swimming? I don't know how to do that..."

Anko stared at Naruto and asked slowly, "You don't know how to swim?" Naruto nodded his head. "Then why did you jump into the water! You could have killed yourself like a little idiot!"

"Anko... That was the idea..." Naruto looked at the floor as Anko tried to absorb that little piece of information.

"You were attempting to kill yourself Naruto?" Another nod, as if Naruto was ashamed to speak. "Why? What the hell were you thinking!"

Anko's anger at his attempt shocked Naruto, he had never met anyone that would've been mad that he had attempted... Now failing... That was another matter all together. Naruto gave a small shrug of his shoulders and looked down at the ground before he spoke. "Nobody wants me around... Everyone hates me... I know that when I get hurt I can heal really fast, so cutting myself or something was out, and I thought falling off the monument but I don't know how to get up to the top. So my last idea was to drown." Naruto calmly spoke as if he was discussing the weather with Anko, rather than his attempt at killing himself.

"Naruto..." There was compassion in her voice, something Naruto found a bit odd. "You shouldn't care what those idiots think. It's your life. Do you want it to end?" Naruto thought on how to answer that. It was quiet as Naruto decided what he should say next.

"I want... I want to live." Anko smiled slowly.

"Then let me teach you just what that means... gaki." Naruto frowned at the last bit but Anko's grin only widened. _Looks like I'm going to be teaching the kid a few tricks._

_What did I just sign up for?_ Naruto didn't know, but he was going to find out.

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**So this was my first attempt at making a decent story. Hope the set up seems ok and that you enjoyed reading it. As I'm not one to abandon a project, I'll keep trying to add to this and finish it some time. Not sure how long this story will take but I'll do my best to keep to this.**


	2. Chapter 2: The Start of Understanding

**AN: So it seems that a few people enjoyed the story. Good to know. I'll keep trying to supply the story, so kick back and enjoy. A thing to note is that during the flashback later in the chapter, since neither would be able to know an occurrence it is given it's own small detailing. If anyone has a better way of inserting it into the chapter or putting it in some manner, would be glad to hear it.**

**Currency: 10 Ryo is equivalent to 1 US dollar. (Help people keep track of pay and what not.)**

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**Chapter 2: The Start of Understanding**

**Naruto**

_God... So tired... Going back to sleep. _Naruto's morning was not going well. He was groggy and sore as hell from last night. He couldn't even remember anything after telling Anko he wanted to live. Grabbing the blanket he rolled over trying to stay warm and get back to the sweet dreams he had been having about ramen.

"Ughhhh..." _The hell?_ Naruto vaguely remembered the feminine voice grumbling at him but he just wasn't awake enough to remember... Without warning the blanket got a sudden yank, flipping Naruto back over and causing him to lose the blanket entirely. Naruto quickly began to shiver as the frigid morning air bit into his skin. _That's MY blanket lady! _Reaching forward Naruto grabbed a fist full of blanket and was about to yank it back.

"Touch me and I'll kill you. Slowly." Naruto very cautiously let go off the blanket. "That's right punk... Now hand over the sake... ZZZZzzz..." _Oh thank you Kami. I won't soon forget this lesson. _Naruto slowly backed off the bed away from the bundle of blankets that housed Anko. _Alright so I guess I came home last night with Anko. Strange, I don't remember mentioning where I live._

Naruto was absolutely correct that he hadn't told Anko where he had lived. It didn't take a Nara to realize that without knowing where Naruto lived, Anko had decided she would go somewhere else. Namely, her house. Standing in the middle of her bedroom Naruto also realized two other important things other than the fact he was in Anko's home.

First, that her place was just as messy as his home so it didn't feel too strange to Naruto. Aside from the fact that everywhere was dango plates instead of ramen, it could have been an exact replica of his home. Second, he was standing in her house with just his boxers.

_Were did my clothes go? Least that explains why it's freezing in here. So where have my shorts gotten to?_ Looking around the fist thing he found was his shirt. His tattered, worn, and close to destroyed black t-shirt. _Least it's something._ Throwing it on, it at least helped to insulate his body slightly, even if it was rather breezy. Looking around he finally spotted just where his shorts had gotten to. _How the hell do shorts end up on a curtain rod?!_ If anything, Naruto was rather impressed his shorts managed to get there instead of pissed, but to get them back on...

"That's right... Bleed on that nice clean floor... I like the color... ZZZzzz..." _How do I reach up there without standing on the bed? _Naruto spent the better part of five minutes trying to decide if freezing to death or dying by Anko's hands was better.

_Least if she kills me it will be quicker and I'll be able to feel my legs. _Making up his mind Naruto got back up on the bed slowly. The bundle didn't move as his weight shifted the bed. _So far so good... _Reaching up Naruto stretched to the window reaching for his shorts.

_Almost... There... Come on! _Try and reach as he might, from his position on the far end of the bed, he just wasn't tall enough to make it. It was just barely out of his reach, and try and strain as he might he still couldn't grab them.

_Here goes nothing..._ Moving a little closer to Anko, he stretched yet again for his shorts. Reaching for them again, Naruto managed to get a hand on them. Smiling and breathing a little easier he gave them a light tug to get them off the pole. With that small tug, Naruto started leaning dangerously forward. _Oh crap! They're stuck._ Naruto's dangerous lean was turning into a fatal fall. _Oh please Kami let me live through whatever beating Anko is planning._

Naruto fell into the bundle of blankets and in a flash she reached out her arms and... Hugged him? Anko pulled him into the bundle of blankets with her and softly said, "Warm..." _Okay? Guess she wasn't going to murder me. Pretty warm in here._ Least he wasn't going to freeze to death any time soon.

She held him close to her chest, and after a very short moral dilemma, he set his head on her chest. It was actually quiet comfortable and her heartbeat slowly made Naruto drowsy, pulling him into sweet darkness.

Anko was having the most wonderful dreams. Wonderful for her, but others might think it a bit more... terrifying. Still, she was happy and content. Sweet dreams, dango in the fridge, and something warm cuddled up against her breasts. What more could a girl ask for? _Wait... Something... Warm?_ Slowly she opened one eye and looked down. Sleeping comfortably on one of her breasts with an arm around her was Naruto. She could remember last night after she had saved him with ease. She wasn't sure when she had turned into a pillow, but she didn't mind it too much. Kid put off body heat and she hated the morning cold._  
_

**Flashback - The Night Before**

"I want... I want to live." Naruto's answer made her smile as she thought about what she had in store for the kid.

"Then let me teach you just what that means... gaki." He frowned a bit on the last word. _Don't like the nickname kid? Too bad._ Her thoughts made her smile even wider. Naruto then swayed, his eyes slowly shutting, before he started falling forward forward. With Anko's reflexes, he had only dropped a few inches before she grabbed him, keeping him from knocking his head into the concrete they were sitting on. _Kid must have only been just holding it together. Maybe should have waited a bit for him to recuperate from drowning... Ah well. Guess I'll just take him back to his house so he can... Shit, were does he live?_

Asking him were he lived so she could take him back must have slipped her mind after hearing his little rant. _Well, what do I do with a drenched, and unconscious five year old? Not like I can leave him out here. Screw it, I'll just bring him to my house. Least there he can sleep in a bed._ Picking up Naruto, she didn't bother going for the ladder to get back on the street instead opting to just use a bit of chakra in her legs to jump up to the bridge.

Landing, she began the short walk to her house. _I'll have to figure out something for money later. Damn, hope the landlord doesn't bitch too much. I don't think I want to deal with that little headache in the morning._

Walking back into the Red Light District, Anko walked the familiar streets on her way home taking a few shortcuts to get there rather quickly. Luckily she hadn't seen anyone on her way back home, so there wasn't any need to explain why Naruto was passed out over her shoulder. _Thank Kami for that small bit of luck at least. _

Walking up to her apartment building, she took a careful look at her home. There were places were it was obvious two different paints had been used, spots were the boards had rotted through leaving holes, a few places had clumsy repairs, and the sign was in such disrepair it was only hanging by a single rusted chain.

_It's good to be home. It's not perfect, hell calling it terrible is an understatement, but it's still home. _It was one of the only places that she wasn't hassled about who her teacher had been. As long as she paid the rent, nobody cared about her back story. _I'll have to talk to the manager to make sure he doesn't try and kick me out. He knows I'm good for the money most of the time. _Taking the key to her apartment, she slipped it into the lock, and with a bit of a struggle to turn it in the lock got the door open.

Stepping into her place, she grimaced a bit at the piles of crap all over the place. _Damn, forgot I haven't cleaned out this place in weeks. Too much work and sake. Hope the kid doesn't mind the mess, I sure as hell am not spending the night cleaning. _Walking over to the bedroom, she set Naruto down on a chair for a moment. He was shivering from the cold clothes that still clung to his body, but other than that Naruto seemed fine. _Guess I have to get him out of those and dry him off._

Looking around for a relatively clean towel, she spotted one on the ground by her dresser. _Guess that will work. _Grabbing it she looked it over and didn't find anything wrong with it, so she proceeded to dry off the shivering Naruto and herself. She dried him about as well as she could, but with his shirt and shorts still soaked it wasn't helping him warm up much.

_Alright, time to strip kid can't have you getting pneumonia._ Pulling off his shirt, she draped it behind him on the chair. Getting his shorts off too, she decided to leave him in his boxers. _Can't have people thinking anything weird._

Holding the shorts, she looked around for a spot to hang them to dry. Everywhere was either covered in trash, her clothes, or plates. Everywhere except one spot. Looking at the curtain rod skeptically, she decided it would have to do. Putting them on the edge of the rod she laughed at the site of his shorts hanging on the end like a small flag. _Guess I finally managed to make a mess of every part of the apartment._

Quickly pulling her own clothes off, she grabbed another towel and dried herself, then threw on a shirt she had hung up in her closet for if she felt like having something on in the night. Picking up Naruto she felt him shift around and put his arms around her resting his head against her chest. _You had BETTER be asleep kid. No one touches Anko like that without her permission._

She silently raged for a moment but didn't sense Naruto move around at all. _He must be actually out. Then I'll just drop him into bed and take the couch. Hopefully the crap on there doesn't make too much noise when I push it onto the floor._

Anko gently set the sleeping Naruto into the bed, and pulled up the blanket on him to try and help him stay warm. Turning away from him, she made a move towards the couch and was stopped by a hand grabbing onto the edge of her shirt. "Please don't go. I don't want to keep being all alone... Please stay by me." _The hell? I could have sworn the gaki was completely incoherent. _Taking a step back, she turned to Naruto in her bed. His eyes were still closed, and his chest slowly rose and fell to his even breathing.

_I must have imagined he said anything._ Gently easing her shirt out of his hand, she took a step back still watching him. As soon as she left the immediate vicinity of Naruto, his hand withdrew and he clutched it to himself. His face looked like he was having some kind of nightmare and the hand he had just pulled in shook a little, making it obvious that whatever was on his mind was scaring him.

_Kami, you have a twisted sense of humor._ Sighing, she went back to her bed and stepped over Naruto to be a bit closer to the window. At least that way she could look outside until he settled down and let her go to bed on the couch._  
_

_Can't believe he's moving around so much. What can he be thinking about? Maybe... Maybe whatever made him jump... _Very slowly, she eased herself down onto the bed next to Naruto who, feeling her presence, calmed down. She stared out the window with no company but the sleeping child and her thoughts.

_How many times had I thought of doing the same thing when Orochimaru left me all alone? When he left me to the villagers hatred and their taunts... After the hell he put me through, I thought there would be somebody that could understand I wasn't the same... But no, I earned the title of Snake Whore. How many times did I try and hold it all together while they told me I deserved to die? How many times did I think they were right? _

_All those times, I kept from ending it all knowing that before I die, I want to see Orochimaru dead first. I want all the pain I went through to show on his face as he begs for mercy, the same way I did all those years ago... Naruto, you won't end up like me. I swear. _Closing her eyes, she slowly drifted off as the last one bore it's place into her. _No one innocent should feel this kind of pain._

She hadn't even realized it but as she had thought to herself, she somehow managed to work her way under the blanket with him. In her drowsy state, she even put a hand on his chest, changing Naruto's nightmare to a sweet dream.

**The Dreams **

Naruto's nightmare was that he lay broken and bleeding in the dust, as the villagers and ANBU called out taunts and threats. When his nightmare changed, it was because someone came forward and set a hand on his chest healing him, then gave him a hand to stand. He couldn't see their face but they walked with him away from the hatred and spite, sitting with him in Ichiraku Ramen ordering each of them a bowl. Naruto looked at the one who had saved him, finally seeing her face. It was Anko with a wide smile.

In the real world, Naruto smiled back. He dreamed of ramen the rest of the night.

In Anko's dream, she was once again twelve, and Orochimaru was her sensei. It flashed through some of the more personal moments between them where he congratulated her or he told her he was proud. Then if went to one of the days she would never forget... The day he put the curse mark on her. Nine others were with her when the pain started, she was all alone when she finally came to.

Flickering and merging her memories, it went to the day Orochimaru asked her if she would join him or if she would stay behind. He stood surrounded by darkness, and so in her dream she took a step back and heard the last words her beloved sensei had for her. "Oh well..." Turning he walked into the darkness. The curse seal on her neck suddenly burned and she heard his voice echoing again and again. She put her hands over her ears but that only served to make her hear it in her mind. The pain of the mark was intense and she felt so alone, abandoned...

"Hey, what's the sexiest kunoichi in Konoha doing kneeling?" Anko looked up not knowing the voice. Standing before her was a young boy holding dango in each hand. _Who's there?_ She cried out in her mind, unable to use her voice._ "_A friend." Naruto leaned forward, handing her a stick of dango, a wide smile plastered on his face.

In the real world, Anko smiled back. She dreamed of torturing Orochimaru the rest of the night.

They both couldn't have been happier.

**End of Flashback**

_Maybe the landlord forgot it was late. That would be great, then I can get the money together later._ Sudden pounding could be heard on her door, and she took it to mean that the landlord had not forgotten and he was probably unhappy. Given how he was smashing on the door, unhappy was probably an understatement.

"Lady, open the damn door! You owe me rent and it's almost two weeks late! I know you're in there so you DAMNED well better have the money!" _Shit, two weeks late? Thought it was just a few days... _Naruto stirred against her as the shouting continued. "Open the door or I open it, and if I open it, I am throwing your ass out of here. Ever hear of the term, 'forcefully evicted'?" Anko sat up sighing, knowing she had to come up with some way to give the man some money or more than likely she was out of a home.

"What's your rent?" Anko looked down to see a sleepy eyed Naruto attempting to wake up. Anko of course was quick with a reply.

"Like I would tell you gaki."

"You have less then a minute to get me my 3,000 ryo, and another thousand for it being late!"

Sighing, Anko looked to Naruto. "There's your answer kid. 4,000. Why did you want to know?" Naruto did some calculations in his head before he responded to her question. "Had to know if I had enough."

"The hell do you mean by that?" Anko was more than a little skeptical that this kid had enough money laying around to pay her rent. "Hand me my shorts. Thirty seconds Anko." With a small growl she got up and pulled his shorts off the rod, tossing them to him. Quickly, he put them on and walked to the door. "Wait, Naruto what are you-"

Opening the door to a furious man, Naruto spoke with confidence. "Sorry that you were forced to come and collect on a late payment landlord-sama. Anko-san was on a mission late last night in order to get the money to pay you. Here you are, and this month as well, to assure you of Anko-san's good payment standard." Handing over 7,000 ryo, it would be an injustice to say Anko and the landlord were shocked at the boy.

"You... Why are you giving me the money instead of her?" The landlord didn't know what else to say to this boy that had so easily handed over the money he had expected to need to fight Anko for.

"I figured Anko-san would be too tired to get up after she was up late working so hard to get your money." Anko couldn't help but laugh a little as Naruto dealt with the landlord. "Is there anything else I could assist you with?" The landlord shook his head.

"No, I guess that's all." The landlord walked away and Naruto closed the door. Walking back to Anko, Naruto had a wide grin. "So, what do you think?"

"I think you may have damaged his mind a little bit. I don't think I'll ever have to worry about paying late again, thanks. And I thought I told you no formal stuff." Anko smiled back at Naruto. "Now if you don't mind, I'm still recuperating from my late night mission and I'm going back to sleep." Falling back, she pulled the blanket over her head. "Oh, and don't worry I'll pay you back every ryo."

_I can't believe he had the money to pay for rent. What the hell does he have that much on him for? Eh, worries for later. I'm going back to sleep. _Closing her eyes, she just hoped that she could continue her dream, her wonderful, wonderful dream.

_Seems like Anko, won't be getting up any time soon. Guess that gives me plenty of time to try and clean up a bit in here. _Looking at the mess Naruto figured it would be try rather than succeed in the attempt. Deciding he would leave her clothes alone, he decided to start by getting rid of the plates of dango that was in various stages of decay.

Looking around the kitchen for some bags he saw an entire box of them just sitting on the counter. Grabbing out a couple bags, Naruto started chucking out all the trash. Mostly decayed dango, but there was some random other items laying around as well. Boxes for tea, tea bags, stacks of crinkled paper that was shoved into just about every corner, and containers for store bought dango.

It took Naruto the better part of an hour and three bags to clean up all the trash laying around, but by the end of it all Naruto had gotten almost all the trash out. Almost meaning the dango that still looked semi-edible was now sitting on her kitchen table. It didn't look like the most appetizing stuff, but Naruto figured if Anko was anything like him about ramen, even something that seems almost on the brink of being alive scrape it off and nuke it, and you got breakfast.

Naruto had no idea when Anko was going to hop out of her bed and wake up, but it was almost ten, and he doubted she could spend all day in bed. She probably had to do some kind of cool mission that got her out of the village and away from everyone... Maybe that's why she didn't seem to hate him. Maybe she didn't know that as a citizen of Konoha you're supposed to.

_I'm not going to let that happen though. I'll clean this entire apartment if I have to, I'm going to be good so she likes me. I hope it stays that way at least... _Naruto looked at the bed where Anko was still sleeping and sighed. _No, the villagers will turn her against me too... I'll just do the dishes and go home._

Thirty minutes of vigorous scrubbing later, Anko had a semi-clean kitchen. _Time to go now I guess._ Walking to the door, Naruto reached for it when Anko's voice called out to him. "And just where do you think you're going?"

Turning around Naruto was face to face with a fully clothed Anko whom had a stick with a two pieces of dango on it and a fierce look in her eye. Naruto didn't really know what to say so he said the honest truth. "I thought I would go home since I cleaned up a bit and you seemed fine now."

"You told me you wanted to live and I said I would teach you what that meant. It did not mean, clean house then get out of it." Anko looked over Naruto again, eyeing him how a cat might look at a mouse it was toying with. "I saved your life as well, so that means your ass is MINE now gaki. You tried to get rid of it last night and I recovered it."

"Wait. what? What do you mean it's yours now?"

"I saved your life. So now, the life you thought you had, the life you threw away. Ya, it's gone until I say otherwise. Naruto, you're going to do what I say when I say it, understood? If I say jump, you ask 'How high?' If I tell you to clean the house, you clean from the ceiling down. Got it?" Naruto wasn't sure why but... It didn't sound so bad.

Sure she sounded like she would work him hard and was demanding a lot, but it was an honest arrangement. She told him what she wanted, and he was... _Needed. Someone needs me... _Naruto had to ask her a question though. "You do know who I am right? Everyone hates me, and more than likely-"

"They'll hate me too? That what you were going to say? Way ahead of you. They've hated me for years already, and I've earned the nickname 'Snake Bitch'. Think I can handle being associated with you?" Anko smiled her twisted half smile that made men's blood freeze, and Naruto felt the full effect of it and wondered a second time, _What have I gotten myself into?_

"Ya, I think you can handle it." Anko's smile went from icing blood, to just looking a little demonic.

"Good, now that that's settled, we've got a few things to discuss. First and foremost, how are you walking around with 7,000 ryo burning in your pocket?"

"To be honest, the Hokage gives me a monthly amount of money since I don't have parents. I end up with around 6,000 a month. I only spend 4,000 on rent, and I can usually keep food costs under 1000. So I'm left with more or less a thousand extra every month, so I've been saving it all this time." Naruto looked almost proud of himself for keeping so much money, Anko looked a bit sad. _How does a kid have better fiscal planning then I do?__  
_

"Okay, now moving onto the second order of business. What are we going to do about your living arrangements? Can't have you living out somewhere were I can't find you." Naruto looked a bit nervous but he knew where she was going with the question.

"Isn't that kind of up to you? What's mine is yours as you 'own my ass' right?" Anko nodded her head. "Ya that's right. And I really don't want to have two apartments, but... Your crap can stay at your place. I'm already pretty situated here. I'll stop by whenever I feel like it to see how you're doing so try and keep the place decent."

"Kinda like the way you had it here?" Anko smacked Naruto's head lightly before she continued, ignoring what he had just said.

"So where is your place gaki?" Naruto gave her a brief description of the location and the building, making sure Anko knew how to find it.

"Alight Anko, mind if I ask something?" Naruto kind of stared at the floor trying to figure out what he wanted to say as Anko gave a small wave of her hand giving him the go ahead to speak. "Well... Why do you care about me? Only a tiny few do, but I doubt they really do. You seem different though. So... What do I matter?" Naruto couldn't even bring his head up to look at her as he dejectedly spoke from his heart, letting her know just what he thought he was worth. Nothing.

"I care because I know what it's like to be alone. Maybe those people do care about you, I don't know Naruto, but you do matter. Everyone matters. No matter how big or, in your case, small they are. Everyone is important." She tried to make as much as sense as possible to the downtrodden boy but he had caught her off guard with that question.

_I am the infamous snake bitch right? I'm not supposed to care... _"What do you know about being alone Anko?" It was another question she wasn't really prepared for so she decided she would take back the conversation and lead it somewhere else.

"That's not important right now. We still have another few things to take care of before I can let you just stroll back home. Why do you look like your clothes have seen better days? Surely 1,000 ryo can get you some new clothes if you really need them right?"

Naruto shook his head and explained how the villagers had beaten him the day before, and what the ANBU had said. _So that explains the jump. How many times has he been through this already? For Kami's sake, the kid is barely five!_ Naruto noticed the look of concentration on Anko's face and stopped his story. "So that's why I look so ragged. Usually the beating doesn't get that bad before someone steps in."

"That ANBU deserves to be stripped of his status... Alright Naruto, from now on if anyone threatens you I want you to calmly walk away from them. Don't run or they might chase after you. And if someone beats you again... Tell me what they look like or possibly their name if you can catch it. I'll take care of them for you. At least until you're trained enough to deal with them on your own."

Naruto couldn't help but let out a little bit of a shocked gasp. "You're... going to... train me?" Naruto could barely hold down his excitement at the prospect of learning some of those cool ninja moves, and being able to beat up all the villagers that were mean to him.

"Yes Naruto, I'll teach you to defend yourself. But if you start any trouble, I will not hesitate to discipline you." Naruto's excitement was replaced with cautious optimism on the last few words, hoping he never had to learn what Anko considered a punishment. "So there's going to be a few rules when I begin training you to keep you alive. The first and foremost being complete trust in what I tell you. If I tell you not to do anything for any reason, you will need to listen. I am going to push you much harder than even the toughest of the clans because when you start the academy, I don't want you to be behind. Got that?"

"Ya, I think I can listen to you Anko, but... I might have questions if you tell me to do stuff." Naruto expected her to give him another light smack on the head for that comment but instead she smiled.

"Good, you know to question things. Blind obedience is a dangerous thing. Seriously though, for the most part if I give you an order, obey it first. Then ask why. Better to keep you safe first instead of curious. Another rule you need to follow, don't start a fight. You will always attempt to keep a cool and level head understand? Fighting just to fight is ignorant and I won't stand for you abusing my teachings because you feel like you have something to prove."

Naruto nodded his head and waited for the next rule, not needing her to elaborate too much. "The last rule will be, do not tell anyone I am teaching you. I rather they work to find out or get a surprise when you're dropped into the academy. Rob me of my bit of fun Naruto, and there will be hell for you. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes Anko. I understand perfectly." _I am so screwed."_

_"_Alright good." _Kid you have no idea how what I have in store for you. "_Now how about you treat me to some dango to celebrate you're new found training? I'll even take some ryo off your hands and get some sake!"

"Just dango please? Sake is a bit expensive."

"I know, but I want some!"

"I'm not buying you sake just because you want it! And we even have dango here, why not eat some of that?"

Anko pouted a bit trying to elicit some kind of response from Naruto where she gets both sake and dango. "Please Naruto? I am taking the time out of such a busy schedule to help you out after all. Please, can I have it for breakfast?"

"It's lunch time Anko. It's a little past eleven now."

"Perfect, an even better time of day to get sake and dango! Now come on, let's go!" Grabbing Naruto's hand Anko pulled him out the door and towards one of her favorite places in Konoha. _Guess I don't have much say otherwise... At least she seems excited for the stuff._

_I can't wait for the glazed taste of that sweet dango, and the kick from the bitter sake! _Anko could hardly contain herself, or her warm smile at the thoughts of dango.

As the Demon and the Snake raced through the town, people glared, they cursed at the pair, but something kept them at bay. Those two looked... happy together. It was an odd sight seeing the woman smile. It made men want to get out of her way, and woman could barely say a word as she bolted past them with nothing but the thoughts of dango and sake peppering her mind.

An ANBU sat on a tree branch watching the odd pair run like mad. _I'm glad they found someone like them... They both needed someone. Just hope Naruto can keep up with her._ Shrugging his shoulder, the ANBU pulled out a small orange book and began to read. _Ah if only life were like an Icha Icha book._ The ANBU gave a perverted giggle and continue to read about the woman that would one day fall in love with a boy.

* * *

**Well, that's what I came up with to describe how these two will be getting better acquainted. The next chapter will likely be the last one Naruto is five, as I will time skip forward to the first day of the academy to progress along a bit faster. I can imagine no one wants to read how three years of training went, when a brief summary will work. Thanks for reading, review and let me know what you guys think. Appreciate the feedback.  
**


	3. Chapter 3: Dead Last

**AN: It appears I may have confused someone as to whether or not Anko knows Naruto is the jinchuuriki. She knows, but she just does not care. Why should it matter if he's got the demon inside him, he's a five year old kid and he doesn't deserve to be beaten to the shinigami's doorstep daily. Did she deserve to have the curse mark stabbed into her neck? Hell no, but it happened and she isn't left with much choice about it. Did she choose Orochimaru as a sensei? Again a hell no is heard, she was placed in his squad and when Orochimaru became known as a traitor, she was treated like crap. She understands ultimately that who you are is what matters. That's why she pretty much just ignores the fact he's the jinchuuriki entirely.**

**Also to solve the 'Failing Twice' dispute Naruto has all the time, it will be treated as that, whenever a child feels they are ready, they can attempt the test. Being that Naruto is supposed to fail twice, Naruto does the test early twice, and fails each time, allowing him to graduate with the other children at the 'more mature' age of twelve. Hope that helps make things clear for things.**

* * *

**Chapter 3: Dead Last**

To say Naruto's training was intense is an understatement, to say they were torture is a joke, and he wasn't sure most of the time if she was actually trying to kill him. With that said, Naruto couldn't argue against the fact that what she did worked. Yes, he spent some of his free days laying in bed with the worry that his arms were quiet possibly going to fall out of their sockets; yes, he had been to the hospital on more than one occasion with Anko laughing about how she didn't think he would actually EAT those berries; yes, he was more than a little certain that what she was doing could and should be considered child abuse...

But the results didn't lie. What she was doing was working. Naruto could outrun any of the villagers before they could lay a hand on him, he knew what plants a person could survive on in the wild, he could even go toe to metaphorical toe with a few of Anko's larger snake summons in a brawl. He knew he was getting stronger, faster, smarter. The years he spent with Anko made him realize a few things about her.

She was strong, and he liked that. She didn't take shit from anyone and everyone else knew it too. She was smart, smart enough to be able to survive on her own or with Naruto in a wilderness for months if she wanted. She had wanted on a few occasions to go out and camp in her favorite little garden, also known as the Forest of Death.

It had been 3 years since the day Anko had saved Naruto's life. She had dragged him through hell and back, and she had on several occasions put him on the brink of death. But they had grown closer to each other as the time passed. He was still gaki to her and she was still Anko to him, but somehow Naruto found himself caring deeply for Anko. When she was in pain, he worried. Whenever she was on a long mission, he would miss her.

He always rationalized it though. _I just miss her training and the company. Just like she's always telling me, learn to be detached. That's what she's trying to teach me..._ Sadly though, it seemed she was the one exception for him. He had learned to hide it but she had saved his life in more ways than one.

Without her intense training he probably wouldn't have even been able to get into the ninja academy. He would've been stuck as the village's whipping boy for the rest of his life and more than likely he would've attempted to take his own life again.

_That won't ever happen though. I have Anko now._ He shuddered to think about a life without her. It might have been a less physically painful one, but whenever Naruto needed someone Anko was always there for him.

Looking up at the academy he remembered her last conversation with him...

**Flashback**

"Now gaki, you're going to be tempted to show off how much better you are than the other ninja clan's kids. Well... Sorry to disappoint you... You're going to fail twice."

"What?! But Anko, I could get out early and we could both be ninja, and then I could go out on missions with you right? And if I can't-" Anko's glare cut Naruto's words short.

"Remember, you listen to me. You're going to do what I tell you because if you reveal just how strong you are, guess what? I have to start teaching other gakis like you and I don't want to have to put up with four whining kids telling me things are too damn hard. You're going to fail on purpose because if you do, then you'll have a chance at making the most powerful team when you come out of the academy."

Naruto's confusion was pretty evident so he hardly had to open his mouth before Anko stopped him and continued her explanation. "They pair the rookie of the year, the most able kunoichi and the dead last of the academy to make what is supposed to be a decent team. The rookie is arrogant and pushes the other two to work harder. The kunoichi in most cases is more academic and can teach the other two what they lack, and the dead last is supposed to keep the other two focused on helping the team."

"Okay, that seems actually fairly balanced. What's wrong with it then? You said 'supposed to be' not 'is' a decent team." Anko approved of the fact Naruto picked that up.

"Ya, the flaw is usually it doesn't end up that way. The kunoichi is so fixated on the rookie, she ignores dead last. The rookie hates being forced to work with two 'inferior' students and tends to try and handle everything alone... And well... Dead last is usually a bit of a moron and risks the team more often than not."

"So you want me to earn that title? Why the hell would I want people to think I'm a moron?" Naruto was indignant at being asked to be singled out for more abuse, and Anko knew how he felt about being treated like crap. _Maybe she's starting to think I'm not worth her time anymore..._

"Get that sad look off your face, there's a reason I want you to do this okay? I know you could probably graduate early if you want to, but if you did that everyone would just get even more angry and scared. This way, people will get used to you being a ninja, and probably won't take to the streets and riot about you." Anko's solid reasoning and smile wore away at the anger Naruto felt.

"How about I take you out celebrating for every fail? Ichiraku sound like a fair trade?" Her smile and the offer for ramen, quickly cooled Naruto's temper.

"Alright. That sounds fair... But only if we can get some dango too." It was Naruto's turn to grin as Anko's smile got even wider.

"Damn right! Dango and sake!" Naruto was happy to see Anko enjoy herself so much. After all, she brought so much happiness to him.

**End Flashback**

Sighing Naruto walked into the academy and started some of the most boring and irritating four years of his life...

* * *

**AN: Instead of putting in a lot of topical information and explanatory detail, I'm going to skip the boring classes and take this story straight to the celebrations of Naruto's planned failures. These parts aren't very long as I am trying to push forward with the story, but I did try and add some more relationship building between the two. Nothing really fancy but still, hope you enjoy!**

* * *

**Celebration of Naruto's first 'Fail'**

Naruto had a hand on the door to Anko's house wondering why she had only left him a note saying, "_Hey Naruto, my house. NOW!"_ _Last time she did that I ended up in the hospital for lying about leaving Konoha for a few hours... I really hope I didn't screw up and pass or something!_ Naruto was terrified of the possibilities wondering if she was planning a similar hospital stay._  
_

Sighing, Naruto opened the door. "Surprise!" A sudden trench coat covered bullet reached out a hand and grabbed him yanking him into the apartment. _What the..._ There was a large banner that was quiet easy to see that said in large red letters, 'Congrats! One down, one to go!'

"You... you did all of this... for me?" Naruto was more than a little shocked. Nobody had ever celebrated with him about anything. He knew that Anko had said they would get ramen and dango, but he had never expected... THIS.

"Ya, sure. No big deal gaki. It's to celebrate your sleeping through classes, pretending to take a beating, and otherwise degrading yourself. I'd say you more than earned this!" With that, Naruto couldn't take it anymore and hugged Anko's waist tightly trying to keep from crying. Anko was shocked at the sudden hug and could practically feel the kid holding back tears.

_Maybe I went a little overboard. Too much..._ Naruto looked up at her and she saw him with the happiest grin he had ever shown her. "This is amazing Anko! Thank you so much!" _Okay so he's happy not crying, cool. _Naruto again hugged her waist tightly and let go.

"Alright well, since you did all of this for me, I guess I should do something nice for you too." Naruto walked into the kitchen, and Anko could hear him shuffling around for something, occasionally muttering to himself. "Ah, were... Is it... No... Here it is!" Anko was pleasantly surprised to find that Naruto was holding a large bottle of her favorite sake. "You promised me ramen, and dango. I figured I could get something you liked."

"Like? I love my sake gaki. Now hand it over and you might get some ramen for your troubles." Naruto smiled as he handed her the bottle.

"Might? I thought this was a party for me. Shouldn't I get what I want?" Anko laughed at his statement.

"It's my party, I'm throwing it so I'll do what I want." Taking a swig out of the bottle, she could only laugh harder as her third favorite flavor hit her taste buds. "Man this stuff is great."

Naruto looked at Anko a bit worriedly and decided he would try and get her to show a bit moderation. "Anko, I don't think you're supposed to down it that quickly, I only got a few bott-"

"You've got more of this laying around my apartment? How did I never find it? Why are you holding out on me gaki?!" Anko took another swig before replying to his worries. "And I can handle my sake, so don't stress about me. Or is it... you want a taste gaki?"

"Wait, what? I thought I wasn't old enough to drink." Naruto wasn't entirely positive but he was pretty sure.

"I think you're old enough so screw it. Grab a cup and I'll teach you the joys of sake." She had a gleam in her eye Naruto wasn't too sure he liked. _She is the boss though... and if she says I can... I guess I can try it. _Grabbing a cup, Anko poured him a glass and watched Naruto down the entire thing in one smooth gulp.

_Kid's got balls, I'll give him that. _"Heh, want some more?" The sake had burned a little going down but something about it was... nice.

"Ya, if you think I can handle it." Anko was debating whether or not she should give him more. Actually she was betting on how many more drinks it would take to get the kid wasted. For her it was pretty much the same thing.

"I think you can handle a lot more. Let's see just how much!" She grabbed a glass of her own and started a wonderful game of 'I drink, you drink'. The rules were so simple it was implied in the very name of the game. For every shot she took, Naruto got a refill on his and vice versa.

**Three shots into 'I drink, you drink'**

Naruto was feeling kinda weird but Anko seemed to be enjoying herself. _I don't think I've seen Anko so happy._ Naruto felt proud of himself, as it wasn't often he got to see that look. _If this makes her happy, I think I can do this more often!_ He took another drink out of his cup.

**Seven**

Naruto was feeling the effects of the sake now. It wasn't as dramatic as Anko was hoping, trying to see if Naruto would jump up on the table or pass out or anything but he just had a smile on his face and a twin bright red flushes on his cheeks. _Little gaki can hold it together pretty well. Bottoms up!_ She took another swig and poured herself and Naruto another.

**Nine**

Naruto's vision was getting a little blurry and that confused him a bit but, otherwise Naruto was feeling as great as a drunk ten year old can feel. Which is surprisingly pretty damn good. "One mores, Ank - Hic - ko..." She laughed at his slur but she wasn't one to cruelly deny one the wonders that is sake.

"Here you are, my gaki friend. One more, as you requested." _Damn, I'm starting to get a bit drunk too. Oh well, Naruto is enjoying himself and that's what matters. That and I know where the other bottles are now. _Following Naruto's example she poured another.

**Anko lost count - Sixteen?**

Naruto was out cold laying his head on the table and Anko was about ready to do the same. She had finally killed the last bit of the second bottle after Naruto had quit on her. Looking her over she smiled as she thought about how she had done about the same when she was his age. Maybe a few less. She was pretty impressed with his performance.

_Congrats kid, you're not a lightweight. Although, we got to work on the whole slurring your words thing._ Chuckling at her thoughts she stood to head to bed. She stripped down to just her fishnet, bra, and panties and hopped into the bed. Getting comfortable, she pulled up the blanket and... She realized she was freezing.

_Damn, why is it so cold in here?_ Pulling the blanket tighter around herself she tried to get warm. _Forget this, I'm grabbing a heat source._ Tossing the blanket off herself, she stumbled her way back to the kitchen, finding it a little harder to walk as the liquor finally caught up with her. Grabbing Naruto, she picked him up in a hug and was rewarded with him hugging her back and warming her up a bit.

It was a short stumble back to the bed where she fell in with Naruto beside her. Throwing the blanket over the both of them, she situated herself comfortably on the bed with him. _Better, but he's not as warm as I remember... Well, last time he was in boxers. _It was short work for the drunk Anko to strip Naruto, but when he felt the frigid air touch his back, he wrapped his arms tighter around her.

_Much warmer. Perfect. Kid better not get any ideas in the morning._ Wrapping an arm around him, she pulled up the blanket as well and fell into a drunken stupor much like Naruto.

Both would wake up with a serious hangover, one would question what the hell happened. Neither realized there was leftover dango and ramen sitting in the fridge entirely untouched.

* * *

**Celebration of the Second 'Fail'**

Same note, same apartment, one year later.

"Going to get me drunk again and strip me in bed?" Naruto gave a playful grin as he phrased the question, taking the cup of sake from Anko.

"Nah, I like to mix it up. I get plastered and you strip me this time, got it?" Anko laughed at the look of shock on Naruto's face. "That's a joke gaki. I'll drink you under the table, and I was cold last time. I used you to stay warm. I've already told you all this."

"Sure, that's what you've said. And this time, I'll drink YOU under the table." His confident grin and bold statement made her laugh, but Naruto looked even more determined because of it.

"Alright, since you want to make this an actual challenge there should be some stakes." Anko's famously twisted smile made an appearance. "If I win, you buy me all the dango I can eat tomorrow." Naruto paled as he remembered the last time Anko had been hungover and eating dango... He still wasn't sure how she managed to eat thirty plus plates of the sticky stuff.

"Alright... And if I win?" Anko's smirk and snort of laughter pissed him off but he stayed quiet.

"You win... I'll do any one thing you want. How's that sound? Well, anything in my power to give."

"Alright. I get to choose when I use that though, agreed?" Anko nodded her head smiling, thinking of all the sweet, sweet dango she would get to eat tomorrow. "So how do we decide this?"

"Easy, we each get two bottles. We each pour our drinks. You drink as much as you can without passing out, and I'll drink as much as I can. Once we do that, we pour the last of the sake into two pitchers. Whichever has more, is the loser. Got it?" It seemed simple enough, so Naruto agreed to her terms. _Gaki, you're wallet is going to feel it in the morning._

"Alright Anko-sensei, time for your student to beat you at your own contest." Anko laughed at his cheeky little statement but let him slide. _He'll pay for it later. _

"Don't get ahead of yourself gaki. You still have to beat me at a drinking contest, and you're eleven. I'm twenty-three. I think I have a clear advantage on you." Smiling, Naruto silently took his place and Anko took her seat. "Let the game begin kid." No sooner had she said the words than she picked up her first bottle and started drinking straight from it.

Naruto casually poured himself a cup and drank it. "So Anko, how are things going?" _The hell? We're playing a drinking game, why do you want to chat?_

"Fine I guess." Again, she took a full swig out of her bottle while Naruto poured himself an ample cup. "Glad to hear it. Things at the Academy are pretty boring. I was half tempted to try and pass, but I didn't want to have to deal with you hunting me down.

"Damn right I would too. Teachers aren't giving you too hard a time?" Another swig, another cup.

"Nah, they keep trying to get me into trouble, so I play an occasional prank. That usually gets them to leave me alone for a while." Naruto smiled, remembering fondly the last prank he had played on Mizuki-sensei.

"Good, don't start anything you aren't willing to finish or have them discipline you for." Anko felt the liquor bring a slight flush to her cheeks.

"I know, you taught me everything I know remember? Cheers to another failed year." Naruto raised his cup and Anko raised her bottle. _This is strange... How am I already feeling buzzed? I remember the last time we drank, I put away more than a bottle by myself. This one is barely half empty!_ Naruto's smile widened as he saw Anko's look of confusion.

_So, noticed this stuff is hitting harder on your system huh? Hopefully your stubbornness keeps you downing this higher concentrated sake. _Naruto couldn't help but be proud of his foresight in buying the slightly more expensive and harder liquor.

_Why is the gaki smiling so damn hard? What is thinking? _Anko downed some more sake and felt it hit her like a brick. _Shit, this stuff must be stronger! The little bastard knew it... and I can't just stop drinking or I lose. Son of a bitch, he knew he couldn't beat me all out so he was waiting for this to happen... Got to hand it to him, that was a pretty good plan._

_Wait... Is Anko slowing down? CRAP! She must have realized what I did. Well, I'm dead. _Naruto smiled proudly as Anko glared at him. "So Anko, ready to give up?"

"Hell no, I'm winning this, even if you did buy stronger stuff this time around." Anko's determined glare, met Naruto's steady smile.

"Alright, let's see how long you last."

The answer was until the end of the bottle. She killed the entire thing, by herself, but the second bottle was unopened. At the end of the night, an extremely drunk, and proud Naruto was still awake. He was on the last cup of his first bottle. _Wow, this is a lot harder than I thought it would be. Alright just two more. This and one from the other bottle to win.__  
_

Not willing to let himself lose, Naruto finished the first bottle almost an hour and a half after Anko had finished hers. But he did manage to crack open the next bottle and very clumsily pour himself some sake. _I won... I won! Ya! I did... It... _And with that thought, Naruto raised his hands into the air, and set his head down on the table to pass out.

Waking up the next morning, Anko was very sore, very stiff, and VERY hungover. "Ah what the hell?" Sitting up, Anko saw she was still at the kitchen table. _Oh, you can't be serious Kami..._ Sitting on the table in front of her was her unopened bottle of sake, two empty bottles... And Naruto's open one, sitting next to his empty cup. _He won? Damn it, I wanted dango!_

Anko's pouted a little bit, but seeing as how Naruto was still in a drunken stupor, she assumed that he wouldn't mind her borrowing a bit of cash from him. Considering the hand written note inside that said explicitly to Anko not to take any of his money, you think she would've formed another opinion. Without hesitation, she grabbed his wallet and went to go treat herself.

She wasn't one to back out of her word of course, but he had left his wallet perfectly defenseless hidden underneath his jacket in a pocket he had thought only he had known about. Obviously he needed to hide it better if he didn't want her using it. With that logic, she had no doubt in her mind that she was in the right... Now if only somebody could turn down the damned sun...

* * *

**Graduation** **Day**

The day Naruto had been waiting for since the start of the Academy was finally here, the day he got to graduate and join a genin squad. Naruto had even gotten up early to get to class before everyone else. Sadly he knew that as a reward for getting there early, he would have to deal with the class showing up. _Least I can put my head down and try to sleep or something._

Sadly, his plans fell apart as the first classmates walked through his door. Kiba Inuzuka, Shino Aburama, and Hinata Hyuga. Shino and Hinata were fine, but it wasn't them that made him groan inside. "Hey guys, check it out! Dead last is here first! Can't wait to fail can you Naruto so you tried to get here early enough to take it alone? That your brilliant plan, dead last." Kiba laughed like he had come up with the best joke in the world while Hinata played with her fingers and Shino couldn't seem to care less.

They took their seats in the middle of the class, and Naruto could feel Hinata's eyes on him as Kiba kept making jokes. Naruto could hardly blame the guy, after all he was supposed to look pathetic... But being just a step up from dead last, Kiba didn't have much room to talk. Having taken some time, Naruto had learned who the rookie of the year was and who was the highest ranking kunoichi in his class was.

Speak of the silent devil, Sasuke Uchiha now walked into the class. He saw Naruto sitting up by the window in the middle seat and sat beside him against the window. They had a silent agreement with each other. Sasuke left Naruto alone when he was sleeping, and Naruto body blocked...

"Out of my way Ino-pig! I'm going to sit next to Sasuke!"

"Like hell you will billboard brow!"

Sasuke and Naruto both sighed inwardly. Struggling to push their way into the class was Ino Yamanaka, and Sakura Haruno. _When is he just going to tell them he's gay or something to get some peace?_ Naruto had pondered this dilemma for a while, but as always he came to the same conclusion. _Even if he pretended to be gay, they would probably just try harder to turn him around._

Apparently Sakura was the winner of the shoving match and Naruto couldn't help but groan inside. Sure, she was pretty but, her volume controls were a little... Broken... On eleven. "Naruto-baka! Move over so I can sit next to sit Sasuke-kun!" Naruto's eardrums were probably going to suffer permanent damage for what he was about to say but, to hell with it. She was going to bitch anyways, might as well laugh.

"Sakura-chan, why don't you just sit in my lap so you can be next to your beloved Sasuke, and I have a beautiful girl in my lap?" Naruto couldn't be sure but in the moments before a fist hit him square in the temple, he could have sworn Sasuke chuckled lightly. Sakura hadn't hit him nearly hard enough to knock him out, but pretending to black out was one of the easiest ways to get her to shut up.

Sakura tried to shift Naruto but for some reason he seemed incredibly heavy and just wasn't moving. She debated just hitting him again to rouse him from sleep and sit next to her Sasuke-kun but she didn't want the little freak hitting on her again. Sighing, she just took a seat at the end of the row. _Acceptable losses to keep that baka asleep._

_Thank you Naruto. _Sasuke wasn't one for friends since the fall of the mighty Uchiha clan to his brother, and the girls seemed so fixated on trying to catch his attention. He was almost ready to date one of them just to shut the others up when Naruto had started forcing him to sit in the corner seats or against the walls and he took the middle seat.

At first it had been annoying but Sasuke had noticed the immediate drop in girls attention in him as they had to get through him to get to their 'Sasuke-kun'. Sasuke still had no idea why Naruto did it, but he owed the little idiot one.

Naruto had his eyes closed as the rest of his class slowly shuffled in, but there were two voices he knew rather well. One complaining how troublesome the whole graduating thing was, Shikamaru Nara, and a voice that crunched with each word as if he had a near constant stream of chips coming into his mouth, Choji Akimichi. He had met the duo out behind the school building watching the clouds and didn't seem so bad as long as Naruto didn't use the 'f-word' or make things too troublesome.

Naruto had had enough of pretending to be asleep as Iruka-sensei and Mizuki-sensei walked into the class calling the attention of everyone. "As you all know, today is the graduating ceremony for a good number of you! I can't wait to see all your smiling faces out in the world of ninja, working beside me one day. It's true that you children are the future of Konoha!" Iruka couldn't stop smiling as he looked to the fresh young faces he had grown to care so much for. His smile faltered a little when he looked over Naruto.

_All the times I tried to show him kindness, he turned me down... He must be struggling under the weight of this village, and he hasn't once taken me up on any kindness I've offered him... Naruto, when did you stop being the smiling boy I remembered?_ Continuing on with his speech, Iruka had near identical thoughts when his eyes settled on Sasuke, but with a minimal amount of concentration Iruka managed to wrap up his speech.

"Alright, we're going to start with..."

**Skipping ahead to Naruto **

"Alright Naruto, you did well enough on the other portions, it's time for you to complete the last test to become a genin. All you need to do is create a working Bunshin." _Please Naruto, I KNOW you can do this. I believe in you!_ Iruka tried to keep the expectancy out of his eyes, but he couldn't keep them out of his mind.

"Alright." _Piece of cake._ Throwing the correct hand seals together Naruto tried to keep his chakra under control, but he could feel it spike as he said the name. "**Bunshin no Jutsu! (Clone Jutsu!)**" A pathetic and sick clone appeared next to Naruto. It had too much chakra pumped into it at the moment of creation, and had come out wrong.

_NO! I know I can do this! What the hell is going on? Damn it, damn it, DAMN IT!_ Naruto silently raged to himself knowing he could perform the technique but something was messing with his chakra control. Looking at the the two teachers in front of him, Naruto managed to figure out what was going on when he caught Iruka's sad smile and mistook it as a smirk.

_He's causing me to fail. He's doing this on purpose. That... Son... Of... A... BITCH! _"Naruto, I can understand you're upset, but we can't allow you to pass with that Bunshin. I'm sorry Naruto... You've failed again." Naruto's frustration had been clearly on his face and Iruka had mistook it as Naruto beating himself up over not passing. "You can always try again next year Naruto."

Naruto silently walked from the room not acknowledging either man. _They probably planned this together. How could I be so stupid as to believe Iruka might care, and I thought Mizuki has always hated me. How did I not see this coming?_ Taking a seat next to Sasuke, Naruto stared forward as Iruka gave another speech, then announced those who had passed, handing out headbands.

Naruto opted to just stand up and leave while Iruka was busy, he didn't need the man trying to pity him again. If he actually did care he wouldn't have screwed with his chakra control. Taking a seat outside on a lone swing, he watched the other kids slowly shuffle out to their families either pride or sadness evident on their young features.

_How am I going to explain this to Anko? I can't let her down... I just can't. There has to be some way to get promoted. I'll ask the Hokage if I have to, even beg! _Shifting in the swing, Naruto was about to make a mad dash with his true speed to the Hokage and beg on his hands and knees when Mizuki appeared next to Naruto.

"I tried getting Iruka to pass you, but he was adamant that you needed to perform the Bunshin before he'd allow you to pass." _So came here to gloat? Typical. _"However I did get him to agree to let you take the other test that requires no Bunshin to graduate. It's much more difficult but I'm sure you can handle it." _The hell are you talking about? There is no other test... Is there?_

Naruto couldn't help but believe maybe, just maybe, somebody was actually trying to help him. "There's another test?" He was so excited by the fact of being able to tell Anko that he had passed a much harder test, that he completely missed Mizuki's eyes light up with a evil glint. _That's right demon brat. Put your faith in you beloved sensei and let it be your downfall!_

"Yes, there's another test. All you have to do is attempt to get into the Hokage's office by whatever means you find necessary. Once inside, you will take the fake Scroll of Sealing, and take it to the forest. Attempt to learn any one move from it before anyone finds you and you've successfully passed the test. The ANBU and Shinobi of the village will be informed you're taking the test and won't try to maim you, just apprehend you. If they catch you though, you fail. Got it?"

Naruto couldn't believe it. This test was sounding so simple, he wondered why he hadn't heard it before. "Alright! I'll take the test. Go tell the people you're supposed to. When does it start?" _Mizuki, I guess I was wrong about you._

Mizuki laughed at the idiot's excitement but Naruto thought he was laughing at the question. "Now if you want, everyone is already aware of the test." And on the last word, Mizuki disappeared in a twirl of leaves, leaving Naruto alone again. _I don't have to disappoint Anko. I can pass and prove I'm not worthless. Then we can play a drinking game like she enjoys so much._

Naruto couldn't help but smile at the thoughts of Anko looking down at him proudly. With those thoughts at the forefront of his mind, Naruto took off for the Hokage's office.

**One Stolen Scroll Later**

_Damn, I can see why this test is so much harder. All these techniques require huge amounts of chakra._ Naruto had managed to steal the scroll quiet easily, and made it to the forest without a hitch. He really hadn't expected it to be so easy. Now he just had to pick one of the techniques... _But which one do I think would be more useful? There's probably points on strategy as well for this test._

Scanning through the scroll, he noticed two techniques that seemed to call to him. The first was the **Shadow Clone Jutsu** and the second was a much more difficult version of the shadow clones. He decided to take the attempt the first and if he had time, to study the second. Within a few hours Naruto would master both of the techniques.

* * *

**Anko**

_Damn it gaki. Where the hell are you?!_ Anko was frantically searching everywhere for Naruto. She had been informed just like the rest of the Shinobi by the Hokage Naruto had apparently stolen the Scroll of Sealing. "I want Naruto found alive. We have to ask him why he would do something so reckless and stupid." _And I can't bear to see the child broken any more so than that day seven years ago he stopped calling me jiji..._

It still broke the Hokage's heart when Naruto instead started using the term sama for him. He always said it with such a dead tone in his voice he couldn't believe it was the same cheerful boy he had spent time with just a few days before. He still wasn't sure of why Naruto had changed, but the Hokage did learn that around Anko, the boy seemed alive again. _Kami, please... Please let her be the one that finds him..._

"Yes, Hokage-sama!" The voices of the Shinobi echoed out, and they all took off by their own means. Anko had run straight to the forest, figuring Naruto would have taken refuge there. He had always said he felt safest away from the village... _Damn it, can't get sentimental right now. Have to find him!_

Her form became a blur as she pumped chakra into her system, taking off for where she thought she had sensed a minuscule trace of his chakra.

* * *

**Naruto**

Naruto was dead tired. Learning the two techniques had been exhausting even for the hyperactive Naruto. He couldn't imagine any other genin could have pulled it off, no wonder Mizuki had said the test was harder. Speaking of which, were was the sensei? Naruto looked around wondering if maybe he had hidden too well.

Flaring up his chakra for a moment, he let it be noticeable then hid again. Didn't want to get caught by anyone and fail the test after coming so far after all.

* * *

**Anko**

There it was again! For a moment his chakra had flared up for a moment and then dispersed. That meant two things, either he was hiding his signature because he knew people were looking for him, or two... The sudden drop in his signature meant he was dead. Anko's burst of speed would have made Gai proud and exclaim about the flames of youth.

Landing in the clearing Anko looked around for Naruto. " Naruto get the hell out of wherever you're hiding before I set every tree in this forest on fire damn it!" She wasn't in the mood to play hide and seek, she needed answers and NOW.

_Why is she so pissed? I thought she would be proud I got this test instead of the easier one... Wait, SHIT! She told me not to show off. Fuck, well that's out now... Guess I had better explain before she goes through with that threat._ Stepping out of his hiding spot, Naruto let his chakra signature return to normal sensing range. "Hey Anko-"

He stopped when Anko grabbed him into a tight hug, her look of anger turning to one of worry. "I told you never to hide your signature from me Naruto. I thought somebody had killed you when your chakra dropped so suddenly." Pulling him away from her, he looked into her eyes and saw the pain there. _Anko..._

"I'm sorry, I thought you knew about the test and would've been pissed I wasn't keeping a low profile. Hell I think I barely managed to pass it." Naruto's word started to falter on the last bit as Anko's look told him his first suspicions had been. "There is no different test is there?"

"No gaki, why would there be another test, you were SUPPOSED to pass the one they gave at the academy. Why are you out here?"

"I think I can answer that one. That little idiot believed me when I told him about a made up test to steal the Scroll of Sealing." Mizuki was standing on a branch not to far from the two, a proud smirk evident of just how accomplished he felt. "I was planning to leave Konoha, and I figured with that Scroll I might be able to get into the good graces of one of the more powerful of the other Shinobi villages." _Actually, I'll kill the both of them and take the scroll to Orochimaru and join my master once again!_

"Like hell you are! What makes you think you can take me in a fight Mizuki? I'm much stronger than you are, always have been. So if you curl into a ball and start crying, I may, just MAY, let you live long enough to get to the hospital. From there it'll be a toss up if you die from blood loss, trauma, or a kunai to the throat." Anko's icy glare would have scared most men, but Mizuki had an ace up his sleeve... Or more precisely, a giant shurikan or two on his back.

"I was hoping I wouldn't have to tell the brat this, that I could just kill him and run. Oh, but why not, you know as well don't you Anko?" _The hell is he talking about?_ Naruto looked from Mizuki to Anko wondering what he was talking about. "Naruto, the reason everyone hates you, the reason people despise you... You are a Jinchuuriki! Inside of you is the demon known as the Kyubi the same one that tore through Konoha and murder so many people!"

Anko remained silent as Mizuki told Naruto the truth. _Good, I couldn't tell him or I would've been executed for it. The gaki deserved to know._ Naruto stared at Anko begging in his mind to hear that it wasn't true. When she didn't say a word, Naruto knew... It had to have been true. Anko wasn't one to lie to him.

"I'm... I'm a demon?" Naruto's voice trembled at the idea, but Anko quickly stomped out that notion. "No gaki. You're the container, NOT the demon. There is a huge difference that some people refuse to acknowledge. Idiots like some of the villagers and some nin like the one before you." Taking up an attack stance Anko prepared to battle Mizuki

Flipping one of his giant shurikans out, Mizuki smiled and launched it towards Naruto. Anko had a split second decision to make, and she chose one she thought would never be something she would do for anyone. Not after everything she had been through. _I hope that gaki realizes what I did for him. That makes twice._ Standing before Naruto the shurikan hit her dead on embedding itself into her back.

"Heh... Guess that's two lives you owe me now... Gaki..." Falling forward, Anko landed in Naruto's arms. _Anko... Why? _Tears fell as he felt Anko's blood around the wound. Using what strength he could at that angle, he managed to work out the shurikan. Laying her down against a tree, Naruto's tear stained eyes couldn't make out the shallow breaths she was taking.

_Anko is... dead?_ "Ha, I didn't expect her to take the hit, I thought she would freeze then mourn your corpse! Kami, this is PERFECT! I can leave the demon here, and let the village assume he killed her and me. I can escape with the scroll and no one would even care!" His laughter rang through the forest, but only a few key words echoed in his mind. _'...he killed her...' He killed her... HE KILLED HER!_

Mizuki was entirely unprepared for the wave of killing intent that suddenly radiated off the boy. Such hatred... Such pure, unfiltered hatred, Mizuki had only felt once before. "You said I contain the demon... Is that right Mizuki? So tell me... You called the Kyubi a demon. Why? Is it because it hates, or is it because it can kill? Or, maybe, is it because you can strike it down and it will keep getting back up endlessly? Whatever the reason, you just made a demon this night."

Mizuki had never seen Naruto look so corrupted by hatred, and he had seen him beaten to within an inch of his life. _Still the kid isn't even a genin. I can take him._ With an arrogant smirk and a laugh to match Mizuki said the last words before they fought. "Demon? Hardly, and I killed the bitch, you really think I can't kill you?"

Naruto roared at the sky and jumped for Mizuki.

* * *

**AN: I'm sorry to leave you all on a cliff hanger like this but I want to take my time and pace out the fight so you guys can get a feel for Naruto's abilities and the 'Secret' technique he mastered along with the shadow clones. The fight will be more of an exhibition of Naruto's strength and weaknesses and just what the limits of the new technique is. So I'm not going to rush the fight, but I figured I would give you something to read while I worked on the fight sequence. Later peeps!**


	4. Chapter 4: The Demon's First Opponent

**AN: Alright so this is my attempt at creating a fight scene. Would appreciate if those that read it could give me an overview and analyze it a bit. Reviewing the chapters helps me out in figuring whether I'm doing something right or wrong, like how 'plums' pointed out mistakes to me in the last chapter. I was trying to make it seem like Naruto blamed Iruka for the chakra control issue, but I screwed up and forgot to take out the part were he actually says it was Mizuki. Thanks for catching that. At any rate, let's see how this turns out.**

**Also, because I don't know the Japanese names of the various jutsu all that well, I'm just going to keep things simple and use an English name for jutsu from now on.**

* * *

**Chapter 4: The Demon's First Opponent**

Naruto had stupidly jumped straight at Mizuki, attempting to viciously assault his former sensei. Mizuki easily dodged the strike, throwing a few kunai at the boy. _Idiot left himself wide open._ Landing on the branch, Naruto jumped away before the kunai made contact. Hitting the floor, Naruto rolled and look up at the man that had killed one of the only people to ever care about him.

_Calm down Naruto. You have to keep a cool head or you make stupid mistakes._ Anko's words came to Naruto and he tried to calm himself. _I have to beat this guy. I can't let him get away. Maybe I can use what I learned._ _If I could convince him to come at me I might be able to summon a ton of clones to overwhelm him._

Mizuki threw another kunai at Naruto trying to gauge the boys speed. He had seen Naruto in practice along the other genin, and he had always been unimpressive. When he had dodged the first barrage of kunai it had shocked Mizuki when Naruto put on a burst of speed that was unusual of him. _He must have been holding back... How much has he been holding back over the years?_

Naruto easily dodged the kunai, but with much less speed than he had before. Naruto figured the easiest way to deceive the chunin was to make him overconfident, then surprise him when he tried to finish the fight. After all, what could be expected of the dead last of the academy? Taking the kunai, Naruto ran for Mizuki, flashing the blade in the glow of the moon.

_Idiot. He thinks he can take me on? Fine, he'll just die quicker._ Pulling out another kunai, Mizuki rushed Naruto kneeing him in the gut. Lifting the boy off the ground, Mizuki spun and kicked him into a nearby tree. Naruto tried to quickly get up but his opponent didn't let him recuperate enough to stand on his own. Grabbing Naruto's shirt, he flung the boy into a branch, breaking it and slowing Naruto enough that he managed to catch his footing and stop.

"Is this the best you have Naruto? It's pathetic. You really think you're a demon when you're this pitifully weak?" Mizuki laughed at Naruto emphasizing just how sad he found the entire scenario. Pulling the overly large shurikan from his back he spun it at such a speed the blades seemed to meld together. "What the others ever feared of you, I'll never know. Because with this next hit, you're DEAD!"

Mizuki threw the blade with all of his force, and it span through the air so quickly, he knew Naruto could never dodge it. That is, until Naruto blurred and disappeared out of the way of the lethal blade. _The hell!?_ Mizuki had seen the kid not a moment before but now... A punch hit him square in the back, sending him forward.

He turned quickly and found no one, when he was suddenly assaulted again this time from his right the punch hitting him in the jaw. Turning, Mizuki saw the boy had stopped and stood before him, the kunai he had moments before gone. "So, that next hit was supposed to kill me right Mizuki-sensei?" Naruto added the honorific, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"If I'm dead then I guess, this won't hurt will it?" Throwing his hands together, Naruto called out one of the jutsu he had learned. "**Shadow Clone Jutsu!**" _This slacker learned one of the techniques!? I was sure he wouldn't be able to!_ As the smoke dispersed Mizuki suddenly found himself surrounded by at least a thousand Narutos.

"Ha, what does it matter if you make a few of these clones? I can easily destroy them with a single hit. You really think this changes the outcome?" As if to demonstrate this fact, Mizuki tossed some shurikan at the nearest clones dispersing them. "Your attack is flawed Naruto."

"Oh, ya it would be... But I learned of another jutsu that makes them a bit more... Durable. **Steel Shadows Jutsu!**" Naruto threw together a few hand signs, and fell to one knee panting. It seemed like he had used a massive amount of chakra for something but the clones looked the exact same.**  
**

"Looks like whatever you tried only drained your chakra demon brat. Your clones look entirely unaffected!" Throwing another set of shurikan into the crowd. His triumphant smile was replaced with a confused look when the clones instead of dispersing, took the hit and then removed the shurikans. Not a single clone had dispersed, and something that looked like blood was coating the blades that had been in the clones moments before.

"Why are you confused Mizuki-sensei? Didn't you know there was a way to reinforce the clones? A way to make them much harder to get rid of?" The Naruto's spoke en mass and their voices were filled with hatred. "Now let me show you just how much harder they." The crowd moved closer with ten or so of the clones jumping for Mizuki.

_I have to find a way to kill them, but how?_ Mizuki had mere second's to come up with a plan, but he decided that maybe they were only as strong as the original's body. _Pierce the heart, sever the spine, cut the throat._ Mizuki put up a good fight, dispersing a good number of the clone's but with each clone's demise, another two took it's place.

It wasn't even a minute later when the Naruto's had overwhelmed him and began beating him to a pulp. A bloody and mangled pulp. Naruto took out his years of frustrations on the man, beating the sense out of Mizuki, as he had been hit so often before. Taking a page out of the villager's book, the Naruto clones dropped Mizuki to the ground and proceeded to kick him until the whimpering man was rendered silent.

_There... I won..._ Mizuki was incapacitated, and Naruto's clones were shuffling around quietly waiting for the order they knew had to come. "Alright guys... Time to disperse." Nodding their heads, the clones disappeared in a cloud of thick smoke. That's when it all hit Naruto.

The memories of each clone hit Naruto in a rapid fire sequence of memories. As each one came to Naruto, his mind felt a little of the mental stress of categorizing the new memories. He managed to shrug it off, as the last few flickers of the clones memories came to him. Looking down at his hands, they shook a bit from his lack of chakra but he figured he would be okay.

Glancing at Mizuki, he tied the man up with some ninja rope he found in the chunin's bag. When Naruto was satisfied his work, he turned to where he had left Anko's body. _What? Where did her body go?_ Naruto stared at the spot by the base of a tree he was sure he had left her, hell he could even see her blood, so where was she?

"Looking for me gaki?" Naruto let out a surprised yelp and jumped as Anko's voice came from right beside his ear. Turning to the voice, a smiling and very alive Anko looked back at him. She was standing not too far from him and laughing at his reaction. "You really thought that guy could finish me off so easily? I took the blow and was going to launch a sneak attack. That is until you decided to attack him yourself. Had to see if my training had made it into that thick skull of yours."

"You were alive the whole time? And you didn't help me? WHY THE HELL DID YOU LET ME THINK YOU WERE DEAD!?" Naruto started quiet, and his voice quickly rose with his rage shouting out the last part.

"Whoa calm down gaki, I just wanted to see-" Anko was cut off as Naruto jumped her, hugging her waist tightly resting his head against her body.

"I don't know what I would have done without you Anko... You've always been the one I turn to. Whenever I needed someone you were there. You always listened to me complain..." As he spoke Naruto started crying as he realized just how much he needed her. Anko wasn't one to get emotional and so quietly she held the boy as he cried, just like she had when she had saved him at the bridge.

Soon enough the tears stopped and Naruto took an embarrassed step backward. "I'm sorry. A shinobi isn't supposed to get so emotional, they're supposed to be detached right?"

"That's right gaki. But I suppose I can let it slide... If you buy me some dango." She smiled at Naruto, proud he remembered her words, even if they were a bit cold. "You only think with your stomach Anko. You can get whatever you want, not just dango you know."

"Ya but I like dango. Something wrong with that gaki? Besides, if I wanted something else I could just spend my hard earned ryo on it. Or just take your ryo for it." Naruto quickly checked his pockets and let out a relieved sigh when he found Gama-chan was still safe. "So, what do we do about him?" Anko kicked the downed man in the ribs, lifting him into the air a bit. Landing with a heavy thud, the man groaned loudly in pain.

"We should probably take him to the Hokage and return the Scroll I stole..." Naruto looked at the ground, ashamed he had let himself be so consumed by his desire to make Anko proud he had fallen for such an obvious trap.

"You stole it? No, no, no Naruto. This idiot stole it and you tracked him down. Remember, innocent until proven guilty. And this guy seems pretty out of it, I'm pretty sure we can pin the whole thing on him. We just have to make sure our stories are the same, got it?" Nodding his head Naruto listened as Anko explained the lie they would use for the situation.

**Inside the Hokage's Office**

"So let me see if I understand you Anko, you're saying this boy saw Mizuki absconding with the Scroll in a henge that looked like Naruto to make it seem like Naruto was the culprit. Then, because Naruto knew that someone could only be up to trouble if they looked like him, took off after him, catching him in the forest. He then proceeded to beat the chunin in a fight after learning that he carries the Kyubi inside of him, took back the Scroll, and ended up accidentally learning two forbidden techniques. That about the sum of it?"

Naruto shared a look with Anko, and they both nodded. "Ya that about sums it up, but Naruto here has something he'd like to add." Smacking the boy on the back to push him forward Anko grinned as Naruto turned to glare for a moment. He raised an eyebrow to Naruto as the boy spoke. "I didn't pass the academy test..."

"Really Naruto? I'm a little surprised you failed, it's not in your nature to give up." The Hokage spoke gently, trying not to upset the boy but was shocked at the boy's retort. "I didn't give up, somebody had been messing with my chakra for the Bunshin, so it came out wrong. I'm pretty sure now it was Mizuki... At the time I thought it had been Iruka."

"Ah. So are you asking for a retest?" The Hokage couldn't help but smile as Naruto gave a small nod. "Then it is granted, although after taking down Mizuki I don't think you need to. One moment Naruto. Iruka, you may enter now." Bursting into the room, a very disheveled and upset Iruka spoke at a rapid pace to the Hokage.

"Is Naruto alright? What happened to him? Your secretary only told me what Mizuki had done. Speaking of him, where's Mizuki, I want to spend some time with that traitor... Failing a student on purpose, the bastard deserves a few rounds at the T and I department." Iruka had spoken from his position behind Anko, and couldn't see Naruto. "Hokage-sama, we need to find Naruto and let him know that he will be counted as a genin, there's no need to force him to take a test when he was failed due to my incompetence at sensing Mizuki's deception. I would also like to apologize to the boy for not realizing at the time what was going on."

Anko held her laughter as best as she could, but when Iruka finished she couldn't control it anymore. "Just talk to the gaki, he's right in front of us." Stepping to the side, Naruto was standing before Iruka.

"Naruto..." Bowing deeply, Iruka tried to speak again. "I'm so sorry, I should have-"

"You should have noticed but you didn't." Naruto's tone was harsh and bitter, but it changed as he added, "I should have noticed that Mizuki was lying when he said there was another test. How about we forget the whole thing? I might just decide to take you up on that offer for Ichiraku Ramen if you agree we can forget both of our mistakes."

Iruka stared in open shock at the boy. "You.. You sure Naruto?" Naruto gave a slight shrug of his shoulders and thought for a minute before answering Iruka.

"I like ramen, and you seem genuine about being sorry so... It wouldn't kill me to get some ramen and you tag along. Fair enough?" Anko was still trying to stop her chuckling at the spectacle of a grown man trying to apologize to a kid.

"Ya... I'd like that Naruto." _Maybe I can redeem myself in his eyes. Maybe I could become a friend to him. He's alone just like I was at that age._

"So Naruto, I guess it boils down now to what do we do next?" The Hokage had his hands together and was eyeing Naruto.

"I still need a headband to prove I'm a genin don't I?" Naruto looked at the adults of the room getting a nod from each as they thought about how they were going to just pull a leaf band out of nowhere when Iruka came up with an idea.

"Alright Naruto, close your eyes for a second."

"Ya. How about no?" Anko smacked the back of his head and Naruto winced. "Ah, fine. No need to hit. Use your words Anko." Again she smacked Naruto but this time it was more than a light tap. "Hey, don't give me a concussion, I'm closing my eyes see?" He did in fact close his eyes though.

Iruka took off his own headband and put it to the boy's head, tying it into place. "Alright open your eyes." Opening his eyes he saw Iruka holding Naruto's old goggles, a happy smile on his face. "What do you think? Fit alright?"

_Iruka gave me his? _"Um... Thanks Iruka-sensei." Naruto reached up and touched the headband lightly. "It's kinda strange getting to wear it when I failed." Naruto smiled lightly that he had somehow passed, even after falling into such an obvious trap with Mizuki.

"You may have failed creating the Bunshin but you created Shadow clones, that is much more difficult too do and so is the reinforcement technique you used." The Hokage looked at the three before him and decided that he needed to speak to Naruto alone. "Anko, Iruka, please leave now so I might speak to Naruto privately."

Iruka immediately turned and headed for the door while Anko had a few indignant words she wanted to say. "Why should I leave?"

"What I say next is for Naruto's ears only. If he decides to tell you himself later that is his choice. But I will not be questioned Anko, I am the Hokage and you are a Shinobi. Do not make it an order please." Anko looked piss as all hell, but after flashing a look at Naruto that all but said, 'You will tell me or pay,' she walked out.

"Hokage-sama what is it?" Naruto was a bit confused as he had never seen the Sandiame so serious before.

"Naruto, the reinforcement technique is forbidden for reason's not mentioned in the scroll. Yes it requires vast amounts of chakra to keep the clone's from dispersing, but it comes at a greater price than that. Each time you use that Jutsu, some of your chakra tears at the muscles in your hands. At first it isn't a serious problem, but the more you use the technique the more damage it does until finally... Your hands are rendered utterly useless. No more jutsu, no second chances."

_I could lose my ability to be a ninja just from one technique?_ "After a wait of one week, you can use the technique again without risking your hands. But be warned, even with the waiting you can still lose them. Be careful with it."

"So should I just never use it?" _If the cost is so high why would I even bother with it?_

"I never said that Naruto, but discretion is the better part of valor. Be careful with it. Another thing you should be aware of is that by reinforcing the clones, they can develop a mind of their own." _A mind of their own? Alright this just sounds like a horrible jutsu to use for extended amounts of time._

"Alright Hokage-sama, I'll keep all that in mind. Is there anything else you want to say to me?" Naruto was pretty sure he wouldn't but it didn't hurt to ask.

_I wish I could tell you the truth of the jutsu, but once you know it can so much more easily capture you... It's not chakra that attacks you, it's the shadows you're trying to control... Be careful Naruto... The shadows are a devastating ally... and a deadly enemy._

"Yes. Be careful with Anko. She doesn't trust just anyone and if you betray that trust, she can be quiet the vengeful person." Naruto was confused as to what the Hokage was referring to, but by his laughter and dismissive posture, Naruto was all out of time. Walking out, Naruto closed the door behind him and was assaulted by a curious Anko.

"What did he say? I own your ass gaki, tell me now!" Naruto wasn't sure why but he repeated the words the Sandiame had said to him.

"He said... You don't trust easily, and you're vengeful if I betray that trust. What did he mean by that?" _I should tell her about the jutsu but... What if I need to use it to save her or something? What she doesn't know won't hurt her._

"What the hell? That's what he stopped you to say? You're sure that's it?" Anko stared down Naruto, but he stared her right back and after a few moments, she let it go. "He means that I don't trust many people but I trust you. One of the few people I ever trusted screwed things up for me. And that man is going to live a painful and short life once I get my hands on him."

Her words were tainted with hatred and bitter resentment. "Who was he?" Naruto's question turned all of her aggression to him and she practically hissed at Naruto.

"None of your damn business gaki!" She turned around and stormed off, her killer intent all that was needed to clear out those that were in her path. _Well, guess that was a mistake._ Sighing, Naruto took off after Anko, knowing where she was probably headed. Walking towards the worst bar in the red light distract Naruto sighed.

_Been a while since Anko dragged me here. _Looking up at the sign he read he shook his head. The place always had a bad reputation as those that weren't served at the other bars could always find a drink here. There was really only a few rules to the place, the first being if you pay, you get served. Legal limit wasn't a term the bartender cared for.

The second important rule, anything that happened in the bar technically didn't happen. If a fight breaks out, join in or stand to the side. As long as they don't touch the bartender they can keep it up for as long as they like or until someone steps in.

The last rule Naruto was aware of was one Anko made sure actually had written above a table in the back. The table in the corner next to the bartender was to always remain open for her. Anyone who disputed the claim was welcome to fight her for it. There was only one dispute Naruto was aware of. The man still didn't walk right or much anymore.

Pushing open the door, Naruto started the short walk to her table. Standing next to the table Naruto could see the bottles Anko had already bought and was prepared to drink. "Got room for one more, or does the sexiest kunoichi in Konoha-"

"Cut the crap. Sit down and shut up or get out." Anko apparently wasn't in a mood to talk very much. Sitting across from her Naruto watched her drink a couple of cups to try and cool down.

"So, care to talk?" Slamming another drink, Anko sighed and shook her head.

"Not even close to drunk enough to do that gaki." To prove that, she took another shot of sake. "Just let me drink." Naruto remained silent, instead opting to let her inebriation open her up like he was sure it eventually would. Naruto was in for a long night.

**Sometime Around Midnight **

"Anko, I think you've had enough." Two bottles of sake lay defeated before the angry might of Anko, but she still hadn't told him a word.

"I paid for all of these, I'm going to drink them Naruto. If it's too late for you, go back to the apartment and let me drink in piece." Again, Anko angrily drank sake, but she seemed to spill a little. Her hand eye coordination finally falling prey to the might of the liquor.

"Can't, you saved my life again. Going to have to lug your drunk ass back home. First mission as a genin, 'Take Anko out to drink and carry her drunk ass back.' Documented and everything." Naruto held up a blank napkin making Anko grin a bit.

"How much is the pay on it smartass?" Looking to the napkin, Naruto pretended to study it a bit.

"Says it's charity. Damn it, thought I would earn something for my first mission!" Anko's smile went from barely there, to barely noticeable.

"I've taught you better than that Naruto, never do anything for free. Especially anything you're good at." He might as well be considered good at it, he had dragged the drunk Anko home on several occasions.

"Well, when somebody like you owns my ass, I think it comes standard." Anko let out a light laugh, Naruto attributing it to the liquor finally making an impression on her system. "Alright Anko, I'll make you a deal."

Anko eyed him with a bit of suspicion. "What kind of deal?" Naruto smiled his own icy smile.

"We play a game. The stakes are if I win, I walk you home right now. If you win, I'll leave you to your drinks. How's that sound?" _Even drunk I've got better reflexes than the gaki. He knows that, so what is he playing at?_

"Alright gaki, you've got yourself a deal. What's the game?" Pulling over three cups from the side and a ball out of his pocket, Anko just stared. _Really? There's no way in hell he can beat me at this._ Putting the ball under the cup, Naruto shuffled them as quickly as he could. He was actually fairly decent, and Anko was almost drunk enough not to keep up.

Almost...

When Naruto finally settled the cups and smirked thinking he had won, Anko reached forward and picked up the middle cup revealing the little ball. _Nice try gaki, but you're not ready to beat me._

"Damn... Guess you get what you want Anko. Goodnight, I'll leave you to your drinks." Without so much as waiting for a reply, Naruto had already gotten up and left. "Didn't need to run out of here gaki..." She looked down at her sake and didn't really feel in the mood to drink anymore.

_Why do I care? The gaki lost, and I get to drink in piece. It's what I wanted... _Another cup of sake poured and downed. _...So why do I feel like I would have rather lost this time? _Looking at the other bottles Anko sighed. She didn't feel like drinking until she passed out so it was time to head home. _Maybe I can catch Naruto._

Downing her last cup she left the table, an impressive two bottles and a half of sake defeated by the woman. She walked out the door, and looked around seeing if she could spot Naruto. _He couldn't have gone far right? It's just a few minutes difference._ She didn't see him.

_Guess I'm walking home alone tonight. _With that thought Anko stumbled a little and started walking slowly back home. Had she not been so drunk, she might have noticed the three men following her, or the one worried boy that had been sitting on the rooftop watching her.

_Stupid gaki... Why does he care who was my mentor? Why does he care why I don't trust someone? It's my past, my business, and... and... Shit, where's my place again? _Looking around Anko finally realized she wasn't sure just where she was. She had to reorient herself and figure out where her drunken stumble had taken her.

"Hey there beautiful. What's a woman like you, doing in a place like this?" _Not this shit, not in the mood to deal with morons. I'm too drunk to be nice, so..._

"About to kick your ass through some concrete if you don't leave me the hell alone." Anko turned to the male voice that addressed her and saw two men, one that seemed a bit red. He looked like a strong guy... for a civilian.

"The fuck did you just say? If you're going to dress like a whore, you might want to avoid this part of town." There were few things that truly pissed off Anko. The list was short and quiet easy to guess. The first, Orochimaru; the second, being refused her daily amount of sake and dango; and the third?

"Who are you calling a whore, punk ass?" The tough guy was now noticeably redder while his buddy laughed at him.

"Looks like she's got a tongue on her man, maybe you should leave her alone." _Listen to your friend. Might just save you some teeth._

"I'm not going to let some bitch talk down to me." _Alright that's where I draw the line. Time to break something._ Anko stepped towards the two men pumping some chakra into her arm and her fist to make the punch knock the man out. Then she saw both men smile looking over her shoulder. In her drunken state instead of looking back, she paused.

That's when something heavy smashed into her temple. Anko hit the ground hard in a daze, and knew she was in for some trouble. A concussion and liquor did not make for great chakra control. She tried throwing a hand sign together, but with no notable chakra control she may have well just flipped the men off for all the good it did.

Whatever it was that hit her was dropped to the ground and she felt the man behind her yank her arms painfully behind her. "Going to talk tough now bitch?" Even dazed and stunned as she was Anko still managed to spit in the voices general direction. After a second, she was rewarded with a satisfying hiss of anger. Too bad her satisfaction was quickly followed by the man backhanding her.

"You're in for it now bitch. We were just going to have a night of fun with you but lets see how you like being sold to a brothel." She felt the man grab her breasts and her eyes were just focused enough to see the ugly sneer he had. _Guess I should have taken Naruto up on that offer. _Anko hung her head, but she wasn't going to give the man the satisfaction of seeing just how vulnerable she felt.

"What? Nothing to say, bitch?" Again he struck her. "Didn't you just call me a punk ass just a minute ago, bitch? Weren't you going to beat me through some concrete, bitch?" Each time he called her a bitch he struck her harder. "Well? Aren't you going to back up your tough words, bitch?" This time when he hit her, she felt her lip get cut on her teeth.

Spitting some blood on the man in front of her, she could hear the laughter of the man behind her, and the man beside this idiot in front of her. "Alright that's it." She felt the man grab her fishnet shirt, and something cold like a knife cut the fabric. Anko was a tough woman, she could kick some serious ass, but the way she was now she knew what was going to happen tonight.

That's the moment she felt the first tear slide down her cheek, and the man struck her one last time bringing on the black void of unconsciousness.

* * *

**Naruto**

Naruto sat beside Anko's bed, waiting for her to come to. He had saved her the night before, and he knew there was going to be hell to pay but he didn't care. Anko was safe and that's what mattered to him. Hours had passed as Naruto had stayed up waiting for her to come around, but he hadn't taken her to the hospital. He wasn't sure why, but he thought Anko would be pretty pissed if she woke up there.

She shifted and started moving around trying to come around. Naruto stayed a bit back unsure of how she would react when she woke up. Turns out he was right to back away from her. The moment her eyes opened, she was ready to kill. She snapped up and quickly looked around. Seeing she was alone with Naruto, she calmed down a bit, but she still looked like she was in a state of shock.

"N-n-naruto?" She called his name, so he slowly approached her. When he was within arms length, she latched onto him and broke down in tears. Naruto tensed up and froze, completely unsure how to react. Just going off instinct he sat in the bed beside her and held her._  
_

She cried for only a few minutes but Naruto would've held her for hours if he had too. She calmed down quiet a bit and just stayed in his arms. It seemed strange but it was comforting to have his arms around her._  
_

"You know if you tell anyone I cried, I'll kill you right?" Anko couldn't keep the embarrassment out of her voice knowing the boy had somehow saved her.

"I wouldn't dream of telling anyone. We'll just chalk this up to, you went on a binge and came home. I was out alone alright? You had no idea where I was." Naruto stressed the last bit, but Anko was just glad she didn't have to deal with anyone knowing what had almost happened to her. "Alright Anko. You okay?" Anko didn't really answer and just pulled Naruto a little closer and held him a bit tighter.

Naruto wondered if she would still hold him so close if she knew what had happened while she was knocked out...

**The Night Before After Anko was Incapacitated**

Naruto had seen enough and knew that he had to do something. He knew his anger was going to get the best of him and he just didn't care. There was going to be hell to pay, and he knew the gate keeper was going to ask a high price in blood.

"Let go of Anko now, and you get to live. Touch her any longer, your lives are forfeit." Naruto's voice rang out to the men the first reaction of theirs being fear, but once Naruto stepped out they laughed.

"You're going to kill us kid? With what, your bare hands?" The one Anko assumed was the leader addressed Naruto, arrogant as when he spoke to Anko.

"Yes. First I'll kill him." Naruto pointed straight for the man holding the unconscious Anko. "Then him." Pointed to, not the leader, but the man that had stood beside him. "And finally you." Naruto ended by pointing at the leader. His voice was cold as he explained his simple plan. "You made Anko bleed, and cry and you refused to leave. So you're all going to die." Naruto had no emotion behind his voice anymore. He was just stating a simple fact.

"Fine kid, we'll kill you, then have some fun with this, Anko?" The leader smirked.

"I changed my mind, I'm still going to kill you last, but it won't be quick." Naruto slowly walked forward towards the men. The men looked at the boy and something about him seemed... off. Were the boy stood, the shadows seemed to follow him, molding after the boy taking his visage. He put his hands together, and suddenly five Narutos stood before them men.

Dropping Anko, they turned to run from the demon boy, and saw ten Narutos blocking the path behind them. "Don't run. You'll die tired."

They should have listened. They might have been able to fend off the shadow clones if they hadn't run. They might have survived the night. There was a lot of might haves and maybes. The fact was, Naruto kept his word. After all, that was his Nindo, his ninja way.

* * *

**AN: This is going to be my attempt at making Naruto a lot less innocent at twelve than he was in canon. It's going to get very disturbing if I write it right, so if you're not interested in reading this gory part, hit ctrl+f and find the words, 'End of Gore'. Otherwise, let me know what you think after reading.**

* * *

**Start of Gore**

Naruto first created a group of clones to take Anko home. He had a promise to keep after all and would leave the clones to watch over her until he came back.

Naruto managed to separate the three men sending them each into a group of clones. The one that had held Anko was the first one Naruto attacked. Five Narutos jumped him, bringing him down to his knees. He struggled and managed to throw one clone off, but after his sprint he was winded and the clone didn't even disperse.

Three Narutos held the man down and in place, not allowing him to move. "Because you held Anko while that man beat her, I'm going to tear out your arms." Again, the same cold voice. This time though, it was the man that broke down and cried as he felt the onset of pain. The two other clones each grabbed an arm and lifted, bringing it up farther and father. He struggled but he had no chance as suddenly his arms dislocated with the sudden push of the clones.

He cried out in pain, screaming in agony. Naruto knew no one would come for the man, in this district you watched your own hide. The clones held the limp useless arms, and then pulled on them until he felt the muscle tear and the man's cries turned from screams to whimpers of agony. Finally, Naruto fulfilled the statement he had made before.

The man lay in the dirt, his arms several feet from him and his blood pooled at his shoulders and the useless stumps that were once his arms. The man had blacked out, so the clones took one last look at the scene and knew he wouldn't wake up from it. He would be dead before morning. The clones turned away and dispersed.

The second man was a bit less brutal since he had only stood with his friends. Naruto only had to use two clones to attack the man. One to take his attention, the other to sneak behind him and slit his throat. He looked surprised as he fell to his knees, looking at the boy. Naruto wondered what the man's last thoughts were as the light went out from his eyes as the blood poured from the wound.

Falling forward the last vision the man had was of Naruto standing before him, there was no smile on the boys face. Just the same grim demeanor he had before. The man fell into the dust and his blood soon stopped flowing leaving only a large pool. The clones looked to each other, and with a grim nod they dispersed.

The last man, Naruto let run a good distance. Naruto let him run until the leader seemed sure he had lost the boy. When he stopped a clone dropped in front of the man. Then another, and another. Soon enough seven Naruto's surrounded him. The leader looked panicked, after all he had run until his lungs felt like they would catch fire. The Narutos stood at a distance and waited, confusing the leader.

That is until another Naruto, the real Naruto, walked forward. "Those there are my clones. I am the real one. I figured if I was going to kill you, I'd make it a little more personal."

The man was afraid, and he had a damn good reason to be. "L-l-l-look kid. I'm sorry. Whatever you want, it's yours. I've got money, thousands of ryo, I'll give it all to you."

"I don't want ryo..." Naruto fell silent, stepping closer to the man. He stepped back, then was pushed forward by the Naruto clone at his back. Naruto could see the fear in the man's eyes.

"What do you want then? Anything, ANYTHING! Name it, it's yours!" Naruto stepped forward again, this time with each word.

"What do I want? I want..." The man stood before this small boy, and learned what it was to truly fear a demon. "I want..." Two clones kicked the back of the mans knees dropping him to be eye to eye with the demon boy before him. Leaning forward Naruto whispered into his ear. "I want your soul." The man didn't even see the knee that hit him in the solar plexus.

He keeled over from hit, and felt an elbow smash into the back of his neck. It was hard enough to drop him to the floor but not nearly enough to let the man pass out. Five clones held him down as the real Naruto turned to the remaining two. "Break his hands." The man hearing it, struggled for a moment but with the number of clones holding him down, there was no way he was moving.

Stomping onto the man's hand, he broke only a few fingers getting him to cry out. "Keep screaming. No one will come to save you. This night will be the last one you spend alive, but it will be the longest you've ever experienced. When the Shinigami takes you he will know I marked your soul, and even he will feel pity for the broken husk that will be all that is left."

With his head buried in the dirt, he knew there was nothing he could do to stop the boy so he saved his strength hoping to surprise the kid with a burst of strength and kill him. _This kid doesn't know who he's dealing with!_

"Your friends are dead now. The one that held Anko, I ripped his arms out of his socket. The one that was so silent, I cut his throat and watched him bleed to death. You're the last one." _No way... They can't be dead..._ "Don't believe me? Alright, let's go see."

The clones grabbed the man, and dragged him the short way to his first buddy, the alley where he had slit the man's throat. The man gasped when he saw his friend, the pool of blood proving the man's demise. "Believe me now? They got to go quickly, you don't get that luxury." The man lost all thought and only began to fight Naruto's clones. They held firm and Naruto back handed the man.

"What happened to your plan to fight me when it would 'shock me'?" _How did he know what I was thinking?_ "Now you're thinking about how I knew what you were thinking. I'm a demon that has claimed your soul, nothing you know is off limits to me." _This can't be happening. __This can't be happening. _The thoughts repeated in the man's head.

"This is all real, let your pain prove it." Naruto had only guess at the man's thoughts, but breaking his mind had proved fairly easy. Breaking his body was even easier, it only took time...

**End of Gore**

* * *

The knock at the door roused Naruto from his memory. Anko had fallen asleep again, so he gently laid her back on the bed and created three clones. "Please watch over her guys... You know how much she means to me..." The clones nodded, not saying a word.

Walking to the door, he opened it and saw the ANBU waiting for him.

"Hokage-sama demands your presence in the counsel chambers. There is a matter of grave importance you are needed to discuss."

"I'll go. Is there any way we can get there quickly? I need to get back here as soon as possible." The ANBU didn't say a word, only offering a hand. Taking it, the ANBU threw up a single handsign and they appeared before the great doors the the council chamber.

Naruto knew he was in for a hell of a day. After all, the sun hadn't even risen yet and he hadn't even slept. It took a second for Naruto to orient himself, but once he was oriented he walked to the doors and pushed them open.

* * *

**AN: So I tried to give Naruto's new personality a little showcasing in this chapter. Hope this makes up for taking so long, on the 24th it just wouldn't let me log on. So I'm sorry for those I left waiting. I hate cliffhangers just as much as the next reader, and if I had been able to I would've uploaded at least the fight and explanation on the jutsu he used. So, again sorry to the readers that waited, and thanks for those that leave reviews.**


	5. Chapter 5: Team Seven Forms

**AN: Seems like for the most part people enjoy the story, and seem to think I'm a decent writer. Glad to hear it but in your reviews you can also criticize me, no need to always be so nice. It is appreciated but hearing about my mistakes helps me round out my writing and helps me learn where I need work. Alright well, as always here is the ever delightful council.**

* * *

**Chapter 5: Team Seven Forms**

**Naruto**

"Naruto Uzamaki reporting as requested Hokage-sama." Naruto gave a small bow to the Hokage that was straight ahead of him. Turning to the right he saw a few civilians, more than likely the ones that had requested this trial. Again he bowed to them though it was more of just a slight tilt of his head.

Looking to the left he saw the leaders of the various clans of Konoha. To them he bowed a bit deeper showing more respect for those that risked their lives to protect the village. Naruto may not like the villagers, but the village was still home. With the formalities out of the way, Naruto turned to the Hokage.

"Why was I summoned here?" Naruto had a pretty good idea, but feigning ignorance was one of the things he had learned from Anko. Innocent until proven guilty.

"You know exactly why murderer!" One of the merchants in the civilian side yelled out to Naruto but was quickly silenced by a look from the Hokage.

"Do not speak out of turn Mitarashi-san!" Turning to face Naruto, some of the agitation left him. "Naruto, you have been called here to stand trial for the murder of three men. Do you have anything to say in your defense?" What Naruto did next surprised almost everyone but immediately pissed off the civilian side.

Naruto began to laugh.

"Naruto, I don't think you understand the seriousness of this allegation. You are being charged with three counts of murder." _What has happened to you Naruto? Laughing at charges like these?_

"I was well within my right to kill them." Naruto had stopped laughing and his voice held no emotion, he was simply stating facts.

"See? The boy admits he killed them! There is no evidence there was a reason for him to attack them, he killed them in cold blood!" Another male voice rang out from the civilian side, but this time it wasn't the Hokage that silenced him, but the Nara clan leader, Shikaku Nara.

"How do you know there was no reason? We haven't even asked the boy for them." Turning to watch Naruto, the leader watched him and studied him. "So how about it? What was the reason for their deaths Naruto."

"Simple, they attempted to attack a Shinobi of Konoha. They assaulted him repeatedly and did not heed the warning their lives would be ended if they didn't stop." Naruto again spoke with no emotion but he stumbled over the word 'him' and hoped the Nara didn't catch it.

"Naruto, who did these men attack?" The Hokage knew the law that any Shinobi may protect themselves and lethally so if need be, but it was hard to imagine Naruto had known before hand.

"They attacked me. So I killed the three of them." The civilian side roared as the clan heads looked shocked. Only the Hokage managed to barely hold his composure.

"This can't be correct! Naruto failed the test to become a genin! Even so, there was no need to kill the men he heals so rapidly he could easily have been fine!" The rapid fire amount of comments from them irritated Naruto and so he decided he had had enough.

"So let me see if I understand correctly, you are saying I should have laid down and taken the beating because I would survive?"

"Damn right you should have taken the beating!" The man with the last name Mitarashi spoke again.

"Then how about this, I'll cut you a thousand times, none of them deep or lasting with only a slight amount of blood loss. Then you can go to the hospital and instantly be healed of all those cuts. Would you sit there as I cut you or would you fight me, Mitarashi?" The man paled at the comparison but still was defiant.

"That's not the same thing, and you know it boy." Nodding his head, Naruto agreed.

"You're right. It's not the same, so let me take a piece of metal and smash it into your temple. Let me tear the muscles in your shoulders as I try and rip your arms from your socket, let me put a knife in your belly and slowly drag it to the side." Naruto walked towards the man stepping up unto the desk before he stood above the cowering man.

"Let me do all of that as just the beginning of your torment because I waited for an HOUR while they tortured me. So you know what? I don't care what you think, you villagers will not lay another damned hand on ME! I am done being your fucking whipping boy. The next person to try and hurt me, I won't let die so easily as the three I killed. So go ahead, tell the villagers to fear me, let them know EXACTLY what I did to those men. You always feared me... Now you have a reason to be afraid."

With that Naruto hopped off the desk away from the man so pale he was almost white. Landing in the center he turned on his heels and walked to the door opening it. Looking over his shoulder at the council one last time he added, "Goodbye Hokage-sama." With that he closed the door. He could hear the council in an uproar behind him, but he knew he was in the right.

Turning to one of the ANBU he asked, "Think you can do the whole instant transport thing to get me back where I came from?" The ANBU guards didn't move and Naruto took that to mean he had to walk. _Guess I'm walking back. I should probably get started before they try and have me go back in there._ With that Naruto took off for Anko's house hoping she was still fine.

Three clone's worth of memories hit him in rapid fire sequence each ending with a pissed off, and very awake Anko. _She's definitely feeling better,_ Naruto thought with a smile. He picked up his speed.

* * *

**Inside the Council Chambers**

Naruto looked back at the council and said, "Goodbye Hokage-sama." The door closed behind him, and Hiruzen sighed as the place burst into a frenzy of yelling and demands. "You can't let him leave! He has crimes to pay for!"

"He can't threaten us!" "We demand that he be brought back!" "He is no Shinobi! How can he claim to be protected under the law?" "It doesn't matter if he is a Shinobi, the way those men died is unbelievable."

"Silence!" The Sandaime demanded, and soon enough a silence fell over those that were in the room. "I personally promoted Naruto to genin during the night when he caught a rogue nin that had stolen the Scroll of Seals. He was supposed to go home and rest until team assignment today but I have to assume he was assaulted on the street."

The Shinobi side remained quiet but a few seemed angry, the civilian side was more vocal about what they wanted, particularly Kisame Mitarashi. "That can't be right! Wasn't he the one that was first accused of stealing it?"

"He cleared his name with the assistance of Anko Mitarashi." He didn't see the need to explain further than that. "To answer your other concerns, he can threaten you all he wants. If he attacks your first though, that's when we will deal with his transgression. Considering how he's been treated for the past TWELVE YEARS, it's a small wonder all three men weren't eviscerated for attacking him..."

The Sandaime paused to allow his words to sink in for the civilian council. "I also won't ask him back here as he deserves rest after not one fight but two, both of which was a betrayal. The first by his sensei, the second by the very people he's risking his life for as a Leaf-nin." He tried to keep any emotion from his voice but everyone in the room could tell he was not in the best of moods.

"Now if the civilian council would leave, I have some things I have to discuss with the Clan heads." They grumbled, they complained, but they left knowing they could not argue with the Hokage. It took a few minutes but after they had all left and the door finally swung shut, the Hokage let a light sigh out.

"Now it is time to decide how the young genin will be assigned to teams..."

* * *

**Naruto**

Standing in front of Anko's door, Naruto was debating actually opening the door. After all, she had dispersed his three clones and had looked a bit pissed. Deciding she would find him later even if he didn't walk through the door, he just went for it and opened the door. Anko's hand shot out, grabbed a fistful of his shirt and yanked him inside.

Feeling a weapon at his throat Naruto decided not to fight her and see if he was going to live much longer. "Did you tell?" _Huh? Did I tell what?_ "Did you say anything about last night?" Slowly he shook his head and Anko withdrew whatever was on his neck. "Good. Where did you go and why did you leave clones with me?"

"I went to deal with what I did last night... I left clones so I could make sure you're safe. You don't really need it but better safe than sorry right?" Naruto felt Anko shift behind him. She let go of him and wordlessly walked back to her bed. Falling into it she got comfortable and laid down facing the wall leaving Naruto standing by the door.

Staring at he back, Naruto wondered if he should stay or go. It was only a few hours until he had to be up and awake to be set in his squad. She seemed like she didn't really want him around, so Naruto walked to the door and was about to open it. "Gaki, come here." Surprised she had said anything, Naruto walked to her bed.

"Lay down." Following her direction he laid down beside her, and moved to be just at her back. Without saying anything he put an arm around her. She stiffened at his touch at first but settled and left his arm where it was. She didn't say anything and neither did he, both of them left to their thoughts.

Naruto's thoughts were simple. _I wonder if she's okay... She hasn't said a much since those guys attacked her. Why did they cut up her shirt though? _Naruto knew she wasn't going to talk about anything unless she felt ready so he only hugged against her tighter. That's when he felt her hand softly brush his then laced her hand in his.

Anko's thoughts were not quiet as simple. _What would have happened to me if Naruto hadn't done whatever he had? What if those men had done what they were planning? I saved Naruto's life plenty of times but he seems to care about more than just that debt to me... He seems like... He cares._ That's when she put her hand on his and after hesitating for a moment held his hand.

_Is this what it's like to have someone that care's about you?_ Both shared the thought, and both weren't too sure. Naruto held her tighter and laid his head against her back. She held his hand tightly, feeling him lay his head against her.

"Anko?" Naruto barely whispered as he was kind of nervous about what he was going to ask, and partially because he was so close to her.

"Yeah gaki?" Anko was just as quiet.

"Is this what it's like to love someone?" Naruto could feel Anko's steady breathing and assumed she had fallen asleep so he quietly added something he wasn't sure he could have said if she was awake. "because I love you..." Naruto closed his eyes and let her steady breathing lull him to sleep. After all he had been through it didn't even take him a minute to fall asleep.

* * *

**Anko**

"Is this what it's like to love someone?" She wasn't sure how to answer so she stayed quiet. She hadn't ever been in love so she didn't know. She waited, trying to think of something to respond with when what he said whispered next hit her. "because I love you..." It was so quiet she was almost sure she had imagined it.

She almost believed it, but she knew he had said it. _He loves me? The kid is only twelve... and he doesn't know anything truly about me! How can he be in love with me? Maybe he just means he loves me like I'm family or something. _She tried to rationalize it as best she could but she knew that Naruto hadn't meant it like that.

_He loves me..._ The thought was in her mind, and she didn't know how she felt. She didn't let anyone get this close to her, but here was this boy half her age and he was holding her and she was holding his hand. She wasn't entirely sure how she felt about Naruto but she knew one thing. _He probably thought I didn't hear him._

She wouldn't let him know she had heard, but it meant a lot to Anko. _He might never know, but he's the only one to ever say something like that to me. Thank you Naruto..._ Turning herself she faced Naruto. She had let go of his hand and left it around her, so she put her arms around him and pulled him to her letting him rest his head against her heart.

_Gaki, I wish I had helped you when you were younger... Maybe then we both could have had happier lives. _She leaned forward and softly kissed his forehead. _Sleep tight gaki. Sweet dreams._ With that she stroked the back of his head running her hand through his hair. She smiled as Naruto softly began smiling. _I must be getting soft._

She laid there with him not feeling all that tired and waited for the sun to peek through her window. She settled against Naruto and soon enough she was out as well. She may have not felt tired but it was still late, and she was still a bit drunk.

* * *

**Naruto**

He was having a wonderful dream about ramen, never ending bowls of ramen when something bright hit his eyelids. It brought him out of his sleep and Naruto tried to bury his head in the bed to keep from getting up. The bed was a lot warmer and softer than he was used to. Putting a hand under his head, he heard a very feminine moan.

_What the hell? _Opening his eyes he was face first in Anko's chest his hand on her breast. Looking up she seemed pretty asleep so Naruto gently took another squeeze to see if it had been her voice. Her face got red and she let out another moan, louder this time and seemed she was stirring from her sleep. Taking his hand off her breast, he put his arm around her waist and she settled back down a bit.

_Well that was... Interesting._ Looking to the clock for a moment, Naruto settled back against Anko. _It's only seven... Wait, seven? SHIT!_ Naruto jumped out of the bed and straight for the door. _Can't be late, can't be late! _Naruto opened the door and was out in a moment leaving Anko alone in her bed.

_Stupid cold..._ She grabbed her blanket and pulled it over her head.

Naruto was running as hard and as fast as he could to get to the Academy. He had only a few minutes before the squads were assigned and he had an almost ten minute run. _Crap, I'm going to be late..._ _Damn it, I won't be late after barely making genin!_ Putting on another burst of speed Naruto fed some chakra to his legs.

He made it to the Academy with less than thirty seconds until he thought the squads would be assigned so he decided to skip the door and jump up to the window and get in that way. Catching the window he dived in, hit the table, and rolled. Popping a handstand, he flipped himself into the air and landed on his feet, out of breath but proud of making it on time.

"Naruto?" Iruka was alone in the classroom reading an orange covered book Naruto couldn't make out the title of. "Naruto, why are you here so early?" _Early?_

Echoing his thoughts, Naruto's voice squeaked out, "Early? I'm here early?"

"Um... Ya... Naruto, you're supposed to show up at eight." Iruka slowly put down the book, marking his spot, and dropping it into a drawer.

"Eight?" Falling back, Naruto landed in a seat. "I could have stayed in bed with Anko for another forty minutes." Naruto looked down at the hand that had fondled one of her breasts and lightly squeezed the air his hands remembering the soft feel of her. _She was soft there..._

_"_Naruto, do you want something to do?" Iruka hadn't really had no idea what to do with the boy, that had shown up so early. Usually Iruka was lucky if the kids showed up ten minutes late to this specific day. Iruka was also wondering what the hell Naruto meant by 'staying in bed with Anko' but as he had just been reading Icha Icha his mind quickly come to a speculation.

Especially the way the boy was looking to his hand and squeezing the air. Iruka was getting a slight nosebleed.

"No... I think... I think I'm just going to put my head down..." Following his words, Naruto did just set his head down. He had some sleep to catch up on. Iruka on the other hand reached into his drawer and pulled out his book. It had become wildly popular as of late, and featured a young hero falling in love and seducing his teacher. She was a difficult woman but somehow the boy found a way to win her heart.

Iruka let out a small smile as he felt a small bit of warm blood flow from his nose.

**Almost an hour later**

Naruto was still knocked out cold and Iruka had already put his book away when the first person walked through the door, followed by the second and third.

"What the hell is HE doing here! He failed! Hey, Dead Last! WAKE UP!" Kiba had walked closer and closer to Naruto until he had screamed into his ear the last bit. He would have said more but his yelling was ended by a first hitting him in the jaw. Kiba flew back and hit the wall, cracking the stucco slightly.

Shino had on his usual expressionless look, Hinata looked surprised, and Kiba looked... Unconscious. Akamaru tried to stir his master, yipping at him. It may not have been enough to rouse Kiba, but it pulled Naruto fully awake. "Whas goin on?" Naruto picked up his head and shook it a bit pulling himself fully from his sleep.

"You knocked out Kiba in a single punch Naruto." Shino answered the question as the others in the room were too shocked to.

"Shit... I heard yelling and punched. I thought it was just part of my dream." Naruto looked over at Kiba on the ground and the barking pup. He walked over to the downed Inuzuka heir and picked him up, carrying him over to his usual seat. "This is where he usually sits right?" The silent two at the front nodded and Naruto dropped him into the seat.

"There we go." Walking to his usual seat at the middle by the window he dropped down and waited as the class slowly shuffled in. It took a while but soon enough the class was in it's normal rhythm Sasuke at his side, one of the Sasuke fan club on the other. Today's lucky winner was Ino, and she was pretty pissed about Naruto's refusal to move.

"Baka! Move so I can sit next to my Sasuke-kun!" Ino may not be as loud as Sakura but she was a lot more determined.

"Alight Ino, I'll make you a bet. I win, you leave me alone. You win, we switch. How does that sound to you?" Ino squealed so Naruto took it as a yes. "Alright, to make it fair, I'll give you two chances. I'll bet something then you can. So... I bet you won't kiss the next person to walk through those doors." Ino turned and waited for the next person.

A very disgruntled and pissed Sakura opened the door and stepped through. Slamming it behind herself she didn't even look at Ino, taking a seat as far to the back as she possibly could and emanating waves of anger and hatred no one dared to say a thing to her even going so far as to vacate the seats immediately around her.

"So, do I win?" Naruto smiled knowing he had won the wager, but wasn't so eager as Ino made her bet. "If you can kiss her, sure." _Well shit, didn't see that coming..._ "So going to go through with it or do I get my Sasuke-kun?" Naruto thought it over and even saw Iruka shake his head saying it was just not a good idea._  
_

Smiling Naruto performed a basic henge. In a puff there was another Sasuke, this one mirroring the look of the other. Standing up, Naruto walked over to Sakura and sat next to her. She didn't look up. "Get away from me now, I might let you walk. Stay a second longer, I break your legs and you can crawl."

In Sasuke's voice Naruto said, "And if I can make you feel better would you still break my legs?" Sakura eyes snapped to him and she was utterly distracted to the point she started stuttering.

"S-s-sasuke-kun! I... I didn't. I mean..." Naruto silenced her by putting a finger to her lips, then he leaned forward and lightly kissed her lips. When he pulled away, Sakura turned bright red, got a faint nosebleed then feinted. Turning to Ino, Naruto stood up and dropped the henge. "I win Ino. Come sit up here next to her acting pissed. You lost the bet after all."

Ino didn't even bother arguing, instead standing and opting to go sit beside her. It may not have been Sasuke but it was about as close as either of them had ever come. Sitting beside Sasuke, Naruto had a few words for the last Uchiha.

"You owe me for that. I don't like Sakura and with that she'll be too nervous to talk around you. So you owe me now." Sasuke looked a bit more pissed than usual at that but he didn't argue. Iruka took that as a signal to begin his speech and to announce the teams.

* * *

**AN: To skip ahead on all this, we're leaving the teams the same as they always have been team seven - Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke. Simple and clean. Then we've got Ino-Shika-Cho, and finally team Shino, Hinata, and Kiba.**

* * *

Naruto sat next to Sasuke, his legs up on the table and his chair kicked back so he could feel a bit more relaxed. Sasuke was fidgeting his leg and was getting antsy, and Sakura... Sakura was on cloud nine. She didn't seem to care in the slightest that her new sensei was over late by more than an hour and a half.

She had been kissed by her Sasuke-kun! He didn't seem all that happy now and he didn't acknowledge it but Sakura knew he had enjoyed it. She just knew it in her heart. She wasn't even mad Ino had set up a trap at her house that had delayed her from making it to her beloved Sasuke-kun, but he had made it all better when she had gotten to the class.

And THEN she had gotten put onto the same squad as him! It was like Kami was smiling down on her! It was a small detail Naruto was part of her squad but that didn't matter. She would get close to him and they would become a couple and then... and then... And then she feinted again.

Naruto heard the girl hit the ground again. _Waste of a first kiss. Should have just switched with Ino... _Naruto sighed, walked to the black board, and grabbed one of the erasers. Checking to see it had a decent amount of chalk on it, he walked over to the door and slid it closed on the eraser.

"That won't work. Our sensei is a jonin. He would never fall for such an idiotic prank." Naruto shrugged.

"If it works, I get a cheap laugh. It doesn't, no harm done. Besides, I had to kiss that." Naruto pointed in the general direction of Sakura. "I deserve a little bit of a laugh." Sasuke didn't say anything else. He was a person of few words, especially any that didn't matter. He also kind of agreed with Naruto.

Sakura had come to just a bit and was trying to come up with a way to talk to Sasuke that wouldn't end with her a giggling mess or passed out from the thoughts she had when they all heard footsteps in the hall walking towards the door to their class. The steps stopped outside the door. _Wonder if they are going to let the eraser hit them._

The door opened and Kakashi Hatake stepped through, the eraser lightly landing on his head and bouncing off. _Huh, why did he let it hit him,_Sakura thought._  
_

_Is this really going to be our sensei? How am I to avenge my clan if he falls for such a stupid trap? _Sasuke's mood darkened as he thought. Naruto was a little more vocal about his thoughts.

"You really fell for that huh? Not much for first impressions are you?" Naruto lightly chuckled as Kakashi's gaze went from Sakura to Sasuke, and finally, to Naruto. "Got anything to say about the eraser?"

"Nothing about the eraser, but my first impression of you all?" He looked at Sakura. "I don't like you." Glancing at Sasuke. "You can stop giving me that glare, I don't like you either." Shifting his gaze to Naruto. "The prank was obviously you, and I don't like you. All of you meet me on the roof." With that Kakashi used a jutsu and vanished.

Sakura looked like she was in shock, Sasuke's black mood had gotten even darker.

"Looks like we've got an appointment guys. Let's not keep the man waiting. Who want's Ichiraku?" Naruto had an impish smile that spread first to Sasuke, getting him to give a devilish grin.

"Ya, how about it? Wouldn't want to keep our sensei waiting." It dawned on Sakura what they were planning and she slowly let out a shy smile.

"Let's get going guys." Naruto was the first out the door, followed by Sasuke with Sakura on his heels. They walked out the school and began walked the short distance to the ramen stand.

**Thirty Minutes Later**

_Where the hell are they?_ Kakashi didn't think it would take them this long to get up to the roof. _Are they afraid of me because I said I didn't like them? It was just a small joke... Maybe I should go see where they are and explain that._ Sighing, Kakashi stood up and shushined back to the class. Opening the door, he tried to speak in as light a voice that implicated a smile as he could.

"I was just joking about not liking you guys, no need to-" Kakashi stopped speaking when he realized he was talking to an empty classroom. _The hell?_ Looking around Kakashi tried to decipher just where the hell his team had gotten to.

* * *

**Team Seven**

"Ichiraku has always makes the best ramen!" Naruto was ecstatic he was getting some of his favorite ramen. He was sure that they didn't hate him too much and as long as he paid they were always happy to offer a smile.

"Always the best for our most valued customer and his friends!" Ayame let out a happy smile. She always loved having the kid around, his protective snake woman... Not so much. _Least he finally made some friends his own age, he won't have that woman scaring everyone when he comes here for his ramen. There's that smile we love to see on him._

Ayame and her father, Teuchi, had always had a soft spot for the boy. He had lived a hard life and was always welcome at their stand.

"This is really good!" Sakura was pretty surprised by the stand. She had expected it to be somewhat run down to allow Naruto to eat there, but when they had arrived they looked happy to see the blond idiot. _Does he come here that often,_ Sakura wondered to herself.

"It's alright..." Sasuke was just as surprised as Sakura, but he had learned to keep most of his emotions under control. _So this is what Naruto eats everyday... Might explain his love for ramen. This is pretty good._ Sasuke wasn't going to say as much out loud but Ichiraku had impressed him. For such a small stand they worked a lot harder for their food than some of the restaurants Sasuke frequented when he didn't feel like cooking.

"Guys, now that we've had some food think we should go check up on our sensei? He might be kinda worried we haven't shown up yet." Naruto was always up for messing around, but they had taken their sweet time enjoying ramen and they did need to talk to their sensei at some point.

"Oh, I wouldn't worry about that." Kakashi's voice came from right behind Naruto. _Guess that point is now._ "Since you guys have decided to meet here, might as well save ourselves the trouble of getting up to the roof." Sakura slowly nodded worried that Naruto had gotten them all into trouble. Sasuke was still sipping the broth his ramen pretending not to care. Naruto just moved over to sit beside Sakura to allow Kakashi to sit down where he was.

_Always show some respect to those who lead you or others. It's a difficult job in it's own right to lead, so don't be a complete gaki._ Anko's words rang in Naruto's mind. "Sorry we took so long. Thought I should treat the team to some ramen to build the relationship a little before we met with you." Naruto was a bit surprised by the pleasant eye smile that Kakashi gave at his words.

"No worries, but technically you're not a team yet." The shock was evident in all the genin's faces and Sakura gave voice to what they were all thinking.

"What do you mean we aren't a team? Aren't we all genin?"

"I mean exactly what I said, and none of you are genin... yet." Kakashi gave a light pause for dramatic effect. He was a bit disappointed when it seemed Sasuke had regained his composure, and so Kakashi only had the rapt attention of Naruto and Sakura. _Two out of three isn't too bad._ "You have to pass the real test to become genin."

"Real test? I thought the academy test we passed was the only genin test." Now Naruto was confused and a little irritated. He wasn't happy how much this was sounding like Mizuki's trap. Naruto didn't believe that it was a trap, but he wasn't going to be caught off guard if it was.

"The academy test was to see if we were capable of being genin, and your test is to prove that we should be genin. That about right." Sasuke's answer was exactly spot on. Kakashi nodded at the Uchiha.

"Yes that's exactly correct Sasuke. Many people have the ability to be a genin, but not nearly as many are actually ready for the reality of it. My test is to see if you are... But before that, we'll be learning a bit more about each other. As in your name, hobbies, likes, dislike, and your dreams for the future. That kind of stuff." Kakashi figured that should be enough information to get a read on the kids before him.

"Sensei why don't you show us what you mean?" Sakura was curious as to what he would say, and even Sasuke set down his bowl to listen. _Guess I can tell them a few things..._

"Alright... My name is Kakashi Hatake. For hobbies... I have some. I like many things. I don't dislike as many. As for my dreams... I don't feel like telling you." The students looked a bit deflated at that answer, each realizing that he had really only told them his name. Pointing at Sakura he said, "You're next pinky."

A little insulted by the nickname, Sakura did her best to answer. "My name is Sakura Haruno. My likes are..." Looking to Sasuke a light blush came to her face. "My hobbies are..." Again looking to Sasuke, her blush deepened and she gave a light giggle. "My dreams for the future are..." She took one more look at Sasuke and she turned a deep shade of velvet. "And I hate Naruto-baka, and Ino-pig!" With that she sat down.

_Okay... Love one teammate and hate the other huh? Just perfect... _"Your turn." Kakashi pointed at Sasuke as he just finished the broth.

"My name... Is Sasuke Uchiha. I don't like much. I dislike a great many things. I have no hobbies. I have no dream, as one does not act on dreams... I have an ambition, a vision... I will destroy a certain someone and bring back the might of the Uchiha clan." Sasuke glared, and Kakashi worried for the boy.

_The life of an avenger is only a fools choice. Don't let your hatred consume you or you'll find you're more like the one you want to get rid of... _Sighing, Kakashi lastly pointed at Naruto. "Your turn." _Please let him be semi-normal. _Kakashi let a silent prayer go to Kami. Kami had a great answer for him.

"My name is Naruto Uzamaki. My hobbies are drinking, gambling, and kicking the ass of anyone that tries to start a fight with me. My likes are sake, dango, ramen, and Anko. My dislikes are hangovers, screaming women, and anyone who tries to hurt Anko or me. My dream is to be left alone. To be something that makes the village respect me and ashamed of how they once treated me. I'll be whatever I need to be for that to happen." Naruto gave a wide smile at the last part.

_Not a normal one in the bunch... Not a single one... Guess that's not too unusual for a ninja. Normal equals dead, so at least these three seem somewhat... Unique. _"Alright. Guess that works for introductions. Last thing I need to tell you, the test is tomorrow at dawn. It'll be at training ground seven and don't bother eating, you'll only puke it up." With that, Kakashi stood and walked away from the genin.

_Maybe they'll be the first to make it through my test._ Snorting, Kakashi took out his Icha Icha book. _Not likely the way those three act... But you never know._ Leaning into his book he walked home reading the latest book in the series. So far the main character had been captured and his jailer was a very attractive and young woman...

_So it's a mind game you wanted to start with... Interesting... We underestimate you, then follow your orders without question... What game are you playing Hatake-san?_ "Guys, I'm heading home. I'll meet you there." Naruto stood from the stool leaving enough money for all their meals.

The two hardly said a word as Naruto left, instead Sasuke was trying to think of how to get home without Haruno following him, and Sakura trying to find a way to accomplish the opposite. "Sasuke-kun, would you like to walk me home?" She thought maybe something simple would get him to come along. After all, they had shared a kiss so maybe they would share another at her doorstep. The possibility made her giggle and told Sasuke what she was thinking.

"That wasn't me. I can take a guess what you're thinking, and I'm telling you right now... That... was... not... me." Sasuke said the last part slowly partially because he wanted to emphasize it, partly because he wanted to make sure it got across.

"So someone else... kissed me?" Sakura was horrified at the thought and immediately began to apologize to Sasuke. "If I had known it wasn't you I would have hit them. I wanted you-"

"It never would have happened then. I wasn't going to kiss you Sakura. Goodnight." Sasuke got up and walked away leaving Sakura confused and in shock.

_Sasuke didn't... but then... who did? _Sakura walked home wondering who she was going to murder for stealing her first kiss and pretending to be Sasuke.

Naruto opened the door to his apartment. Stepping in he looked towards the kitchen to make sure the dishes were done and the trash gone. He'd rather get it out of the way now than put it off until morning. Seeing nothing he smiled. _Guess I haven't been home too often._

Walking over to the bed, he pulled off his shirt and tossed it to the side. For some reason, Anko had engraved the habit of stripping before bed into him. Laying down Naruto smiled. He was going to have an interesting day tomorrow with Kakashi. After all, he had learned a few things from Anko about mind games...

* * *

**The Next Day - 1 Hour after Dawn**

"Where the hell are they?" Sakura was hungry, tired, and pissed. Sasuke remained silent correctly assuming Sakura had done the same as him and followed the instruction not to eat. It was an hour after Kakashi had said to meet and neither Naruto or Kakashi were anywhere to be found. That changed to just Kakashi when Naruto suddenly appeared walking towards the duo carrying a large backpack.

"Hey teammates! How are you doing?" Naruto was smiling happily as he walked towards the two staring daggers at him. "Didn't eat huh?"

"That's what Kakashi-sensei told us to do."

"Ah, then how about this... He said to get here before dawn right? Where is he?" Naruto looked around, acting like he expected to see the man.

"He isn't here." Sasuke decided to answer to keep Sakura from yelling. He wasn't in the mood for it.

"Then I guess he won't notice if you have some food." Surprising them both, Naruto dropped the backpack and started pulling out random dishes along with rope and other ninja tools. "The containers over there have some breakfast foods and so pop them open and have at them." Naruto pointed at the dishes he had tossed out along with a few more containers of other things.

Sasuke and Sakura each took a dish and started packing it down. _This is pretty decent... Did Naruto cook this? _Sasuke looked at Naruto with a small amount of respect. _Still dead last of the class though so he'll probably drag us all down. _Smirking, Sasuke quickly finished the meal.

Sakura was a little more refined and took longer to finish her food but was just as shocked to find the food bearable. _Did Naruto cook this? I thought he only ever had ramen..._ She didn't say it but she was happy that he had brought the food.

Naruto was busy going over what he planned to do to make Kakashi squirm and hoped that he had the right idea of what Kakashi wanted. _Guess we'll find out when he gets here._ Naruto gave a small smile, wondering if anything he had planned would work. After he had checked all his gear all there was to do was wait for Kakashi.

**10:45 A.M.**

The three had passed the time by various means. Naruto had fallen asleep underneath a tree, Sakura had been coming up with plans to get together with Sasuke, and Sasuke had been brooding. Kakashi appeared before the three of them with his usual calm demeanor, and his classic eye smile. "Hey there. I came across a black cat and had to walk all the way around the village where I came across an elderly woman that looked in need of some help and I.."

The excuse was pretty long and Sakura and Sasuke started to tune it out. Kakashi sensed he was losing his audience and just decided to get along with the test. "Sakura please wake up Naruto. We're about to begin the test." Sakura quickly jumped up and walked over to Naruto.

"Naruto-baka, wake up." She called out to him as she came closer stopping beside him, stooping to shake his shoulder. "Baka, wake up." Shaking him a bit more roughly Naruto started waking up.

"Damn it Anko, I didn't buy any today. Let me sleep a little longer..." Shifting Naruto moved out from under her hand and curled against the tree. _Who the hell is Anko... and what didn't he buy that should let him sleep longer? _Sakura thought from a moment and went so red, rubies were jealous. As her nose began to bleed she stood up and walked back over to Kakashi.

"He awake?" Kakashi was a little surprised as Sakura walked right by him and sat down in the grass. _Why is she so red?_ Sighing, Kakashi guessed it was up to him to wake Naruto. "Sasuke go check on Sakura and see if she has a fever. She was pretty red and I think I saw blood on her lip." Sasuke glared at Kakashi but followed the order.

Kakashi walked over to Naruto and shook the boy trying to wake him. "Naruto. Time to wake up, time to take the test."

"The hell... Kakashi-sensei, when did you get here?" Naruto rubbed his eyes trying wake himself up. "Guess we're about to take the test right?"

"Ya, but what did you say to Sakura? She seems pretty dazed right now." Kakashi was more curious about what the kid had mentioned in his sleep about Anko.

"Nothing. Just thought she was Anko, so I told her I didn't buy sake. Why?" Naruto looked confused, as did Kakashi. _Why would she get red over that?_ Well it wasn't Kakashi's problem. Straightening out, he walked back over to where Sasuke was kneeling and Sakura was sitting. "Alright. Sakura are you alright now?"

She gave a light nod of her her head. "Ya I'm fine Kakashi-sensei." She was pretty quiet and Sasuke stood and walked away from her after that. Kakashi looked at him hoping for an explanation and only got a shrug in response. Naruto had gotten up and stood beside Sasuke.

"Alright guess we're about ready to start." Kakashi had all of their attention, so he continued. "It's a pretty simple test. Get these bells from me and you pass. If not, you go back to the academy for another year." Pulling out two bells, he lightly shook them making it clear they were the target.

"Kakashi-sensei... There's only two bells." Sakura pointed out the obvious while Naruto and Sasuke remained quiet. _This can't be right... There's always three man squads isn't there?_

_I won't let them get in my way, I have to complete my vision. _Sasuke clenched his fists with determination.

_Confusion, and determination... Wonder what they're thinking._ "Yes that's right. There are two bells. One of you is guaranteed to be sent back to the academy." Shock registered on Naruto's face. _That can't be right... Every squad has three genin and their sensei... _It suddenly clicked for Naruto and he smiled.

Sakura looked worried as well. What if she had to be sent away from her Sasuke-kun? _No! He'll get one of those bells, then I will! We'll be together without Naruto-baka and we'll get closer to each other and..._ Sakura's worry burned away with the fire of her determination. _I WILL succeed!_

Sasuke couldn't care less if there were two bells. He was guaranteed to get one as the rookie of the year, and he doubted the other two would get one. _With one on one training I might become strong enough. This better not be a waste of time._

Kakashi saw the two reactions, and Sasuke's blank face. _Looks like at least one of them got it._ "Alright, I'll use this timer. I'll set it for an hour so you'll know when it's noon. If any of you can get a bell by then, you're safe. Remember to attack me as if you intend to take my life, that's the only way you'll get a bell. Understood?" Each of the students voiced their understanding. "Alright." Tying the bells to his belt, he set the timer for an hour, and set it down on the stump by him.

"Begin!" Immediately Sakura and Sasuke disappeared in a blur of speed. Naruto was left standing before Kakashi, looking around for his teammates. _"_You understand you're supposed to hide right?"

"Why? You said the goal was to get the two bells right?" Naruto just folded his arms and took a defiant stance.

"Well yes, that is the goal..."

"So may I have one please?" Taking a step closer Naruto held out his hand. _You have to be kidding... There's no way you're that stupid..._

"Naruto, you're supposed to take them from my belt. Not ask for them." Naruto dropped his hand to his side and nodded.

"That makes sense. Wouldn't be much of a test if you didn't make us fight right? Especially after the whole 'Come at me with lethal intent' thing right?" Naruto slowly smiled and for some reason, Kakashi felt his blood chill just a little. "Just remember, you asked me to kill you." With that his grin widened and he laughed maniacally before dispersing.

_A shadow clone? Where is he then? _Kakashi tried to act casual and flipped out his book. _May as well get some reading done. They won't attack for a bit._

"What was that baka thinking? Just asked for the bell like that... And what did he mean by Kakashi-sensei asked to be killed? There's no way he can think he could kill him." Sakura spoke to herself silently trying to reason out what was going through the blonde idiots mind.

"I meant I'm going to kill him Sakura." Naruto's cold voice came from beside her and she almost squealed before he put a hand over her mouth. "Calm down, you asked me a question. I answered it. As for what I was thinking, I wanted to make it easy on him."

"You can't be serious Naruto. You can't kill a jonin!" Sakura's harsh whisper was almost too loud and Naruto debated shutting her up, but decided against it. Barely.

"I can. There's things he's afraid of and I have a good idea what they are. If you trust me, I'll get the other bell and give it to you." Sakura was about to tell Naruto what she thought of that plan when he put a hand to her mouth and added, "I'll give the second one to Sasuke. You two can be together all you want. I don't want to deal with teammates that don't want me around."

Sakura heard the bitterness in his voice and it only got worse. "You hate me. Sasuke puts up with me because I blocked most of you girls from attacking him, and even Kakashi-sensei has made it clear he doesn't want me. So I'll find a way to be in a one man squad and join... Never mind, that doesn't concern you." His voice had changed when he spoke of joining whoever, but Sakura didn't think about it.

"Alright, but why are you telling me all this?"

Sighing Naruto knew he had to swallow his pride. Even if it was just for a minute or two. "I need your help to get the bells. All you have to do..." Naruto began to explain the plan, and although Sakura was confused, she nodded that she understood.

"Good... Remember, on my signal." With that the shadow clone smiled to her, and dispersed.

* * *

**Sasuke - 5 Minutes Earlier.**

"You can't seriously expect him to just hand you a bell loser. You have to be strong enough to get it." Sasuke was disappointed in Naruto's performance. Even as dead last, he had expected some kind of fight between him and Kakashi-sensei. At least enough for Sasuke to analyze the man and attack.

"I didn't but I know you're strong enough to get one on your own." Sasuke didn't even bother to glance at Naruto's voice.

"What do you want? Going to ask if I'll give you the bell I was going to get?" Sasuke smirked at his statement but there was something different in Naruto's eyes. Something that demanded the Uchiha's silence.

"No Uchiha, I know what you want, and I'll assure it. Sakura and I will fail the test, and you'll pass alone to get the direct attention of Hatake." Sasuke was more than a little surprised Naruto had already deciphered what it was Sasuke wanted.

"Alright. What's in it for you?" Sasuke wasn't stupid and knew Naruto would likely demand something in return.

"I get an ally. One that isn't weak and pathetic like Haruno. I'll join another squad and become powerful to attain my dream. It doesn't hurt to know there's someone out there getting stronger with me that I can call in a favor from." Naruto said the entire speech utterly without emotion.

Sasuke thought it over, quickly deciding what to do. "Agreed loser."

"Good. Here's the plan..." Sasuke was pretty impressed. The entire layout of the plan would prove within his abilities and would surely fail Sakura.

"Understood." Sasuke wasn't going to waste any more time. He wanted this done already.

"Just remember, on my signal." With that the shadow clone dispersed.

* * *

**Naruto**

The clones dispersed telling Naruto exactly what he suspected. The others didn't care about teamwork. They just cared about what they needed, and what they wanted... Too simple to abuse if you know what you're doing.

"Alright Hatake... Let's start playing the game." Naruto stood up and walked out into the clearing in full view of the two and their sensei. "The game is over Kakashi-sensei. I've won." Kakashi didn't even glance up from his book.

"What do you mean by that Naruto? I don't see you with a bell." Kakashi was as pleasant as always, lightly reached down and jingled the bell.

"I'm just letting you hold onto them. I don't need them a few minutes. Thought we could talk." Naruto let out a smile.

"You're letting me hold them? Well, that's awfully kind of you. Sure, let's talk." Kakashi set the book in his bag. "What would you like to talk about?"

"My demon." Naruto spoke casually, but he knew he was treading on light ground. "Or are you not allowed to say anything still? Don't my teammates have a right to know what I am?" Kakashi thought over his next words carefully.

"What you are is Naruto, so that's up to you to tell them."

"Tell us what Kakashi-sensei?" Kakashi turned to Sakura's voice. _SHIT!_

"Ask Naruto."

"You know the story better than I do, so why don't you tell all three of us the whole story." Sasuke appeared as Naruto mentioned there being three of them to explain to. "Besides, I don't know if they would believe me on the whole demon thing."

"Demon? Baka, what are you talking about?"

"You a demon? You must be mistaking the term demon for loser."

Sakura and Sasuke's skepticism was understandable but Sakura seemed to be acting which to Kakashi was... _Strange._

"Alright... Guess I can explain pretty simply. The Kyuubi is inside Naruto..."

"Y-y-you mean... He has a d-d-d-demon inside him?" Sakura's stutter was real as Naruto hadn't actually mentioned being the container of the Nine-Tails.

"Yes. It's inside of him, and there's no worries about it getting out." Kakashi tried to reassure her with kind words and a calm attitude. Naruto had other plans. He needed her to be hysterical, or at least believably close.

"Don't lie now Kakashi. Everyone knows there's a way to unseal something. Besides, as a demon and the most powerful one at that... Wouldn't it want out?" Naruto began circling around Kakashi and Sakura went to Sasuke's side.

"Naruto, what do you mean, it want's out?"

"Let me say it like this... I put you in a cage Sakura, and it's a strong cage mind you, and the only way you'll ever get out is to punch the wall." Thinking for a second Naruto added, "And once you are out, you get your hearts desire. Tell me... Would you punch the wall? Even if it took all day, every day for years... Would you punch that wall?"

"Well... Ya I guess, but what does that have to do with the demon and the seal?"

Naruto stopped walking and started laughing. Slowly and madly, Naruto began to laugh. "The smartest kunoichi in the class didn't get it, but the dead last caught it?" He laughed even harder. "I am that cage. The Kyuubi is the prisoner... And this village's utter destruction is the desire it has. It won't just punch the cage... It'll claw, bash, and slam against it until it has a hole big enough to get out."

Naruto was expecting Sakura to flip out... But it was oddly satisfying to see her completely lose her mind. Even if this was all going according to plan, he enjoyed the feeling of seeing someone else squirm under his words. "That can't be true... It can't get out... Kakashi-sensei tell me it can't be true!" She ran up to Kakashi and started demanding over and over to hear it wasn't true.

"It's fine Sakura, there's no way it can get out. The seal can't be broken that way." Kakashi was fishing for something to try and reassure the hysterical young woman when Sasuke walked to her and put a hand on her shoulder. She immediately got stiff, and Sasuke looked away from them as he said softly, "Sakura calm down. It's okay, the seal will hold alright? Now please let go of Kakashi-sensei."

In all her hysteria, Kakashi hadn't even noticed she had grabbed onto his jacket. "Aaaaand... There we go. Game's over Kakashi-sensei." Naruto's voice had returned to a calm and relaxed state and his smile went from bat shit crazy, to just crazy happy.

"Naruto, you don't have a bell..." Again Kakashi went to jingle the two bells but was rewarded with a hand full of nothing.

"No I don't... But then, neither do you." With his wide grin, he walked over to Sasuke and Sakura, each jingling a little bell. "We couldn't fight you, you'll win. Alone we stood no chance... Scratch that, Sasuke may have had one." The combined glare of his two teammates had made him restate the last bit. "But together, we might be able to just scrape by tricking you."

Kakashi was impressed by the teamwork they had shown. "So you banded together to get the bells from me? But Naruto, you know that mean's I can't pass you right? And I just might fail the other two because they didn't fight." _Let's stress the team a little..._

"Like I care. I got promoted by the Hokage, I can get a retest or something, then I'll join the team again anyways. And as a jonin I don't think you would cheat just because you lost. I trust you Kakashi. Don't mistake trust for liking you though. You lead, I'll follow."

"That the way you treat your dear Anko huh?" Kakashi was pleasantly surprised when Naruto turned red.

"Who is Anko Kakashi-sensei? I heard Naruto mention her earlier, but I never met an Anko at the academy." Sakura may not have been into rumors as much as Ino, but she did like to know what was going on.

"Anko is-" Kakashi was about to explain just who she was when he could clearly feel Naruto's glare.

"Anko is the person who helped me train. She looked after me ever since I was five." Naruto looked down at the grass thinking about what else she had done for him. He really didn't know what to add to that.

"Then she sucked at training you didn't she? You're the dead last of the academy. How horrible does she have to be-" Sasuke's words were cut off when Naruto hit him in the jaw sending him into the air and making him land a few feet away flat on his back. Sakura hadn't even seen him move.

Kakashi wasn't quiet as shocked. He had been about to warn Sasuke not to say anything about Anko when he had seen Naruto get to his feet and rush Sasuke much faster than he should have been capable of. _Where did he get this burst of speed?_

"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura had snapped out of her confusion and ran to him. "Naruto-baka why did you hit him?" Sakura glared daggers at Naruto pissed he had even dared to strike the Uchiha.

"What would you do if someone told you Sasuke was pathetic. Think you would hit them?" Naruto was calm once again.

"Of course I would, but that's because I'm in love with Sasuke-kun!" Sakura cradled his head trying to make him comfortable. Sasuke groaned slightly and sat up.

"What the hell hit me?" Sasuke looked confused at Naruto and Sakura. "I just remember saying something about how horrible a teacher this Anko must have been when I got hit by something."

"Say one more bad thing about Anko, you'll need a hospital." Naruto's voice was cold as he glared down at the Uchiha prodigy before him.

"You only hit Sasuke because he wasn't ready for it Naruto-baka!" Sakura was fast to defend her beloved. Sasuke wasn't one to take an insult though.

"I'll need a hospital loser? You already admitted I'm better than you and Sakura." Sasuke stood up and glared at Naruto. Kakashi debated stepping in but he was wondering if Naruto could back up his words.

"Fine. Spar with me. Here and now and if you win, I'll let you say anything you want about Anko. If I win, you'll never say a thing about her again. Understood?" Naruto's voice was as cold as ice.

"You're on. Loser." Sasuke had a smirk as he added the last part as more of an after thought. _I am an avenger, you're the pathetic dead last of the academy. You'll lose here Naruto. _Stepping towards away from the forest, they each went to one side of the training ground and faced each other.

Naruto took the basic academy fighting stance, Sasuke took the classic Uchiha fighting stance. A breeze blew through the training ground making the grass wave and some of the leaves to stir from the nearby tree. The green leaves fell between them for a moment, their gazes catching the same leaf and watched it fall. It danced on the air slowly and finally landed softly between them.

That's the moment they both decided to attack.

* * *

**AN: Cliffhangers are such a horrible thing aren't they? Sorry to all you readers out there, but I think I want to give you a much better fight showing Naruto's strengths in detail. Since Sasuke is a bit more vocal with his abilities, think I'll be able to get a much better and detailed fight. Or at least I hope it'll be good enough to allow that cliffhanger. Later peeps.**


	6. Chapter 6: The Demon and the Avenger

**AN: Hope it was worth the wait, and just so you guys know I'm getting off canon very soon. So don't worry it'll get real original real quick. After Wave Ark though so sorry for those that really didn't want it, I happen to enjoy it.**

* * *

**Chapter 6: The Demon and the Avenger**

The leaf fell between them and they used it as the signal to start the fight. Both boys rushed for each other but Naruto held back on his speed. He needed to test the Uchiha first. They reached each other in the blink of an eye and Naruto telegraphed a bunch. Sasuke blocked it easily, and brought his leg up to kick Naruto's exposed ribs.

Jumping away, Naruto had enough information on Sasuke's speed, he needed to see what else the Uchiha could do though. At the academy Naruto hadn't seen the full extent of what Sasuke was capable of, he only knew how hard he could hit from their occasional sparing.

Using a few simple hand signs Naruto cried out, "**Wind Style: Air Bullet Jutsu!**" Three pellets of air flew towards Sasuke, the only visible part of them being the wake they left behind. Sasuke smirked and Naruto knew he had made a mistake.

"**Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu!**" _Oh, shit._ The ball of flame had started off quite small as Sasuke hadn't fed much into it but as the condensed air hit it, it doubled in size as it engulfed the first two bullets and the third didn't add much to it, leaving the projectile about the size of storage shed.

Using his speed, he easily dodged it but mentally berated himself for forgetting the Uchiha's coming of age jutsu. _So he's got fire style at least and a decent taijutsu... No more surprises I hope._ Bringing his hands together the same as before, Naruto unleashed another barrage of five projectiles. _Come on... Take the bait..._

Sasuke laughed as he saw the same wind technique that had fed his flames earlier with only more shots this time. _Idiot._ "**Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu!**" Sasuke smirked as the fireball he had released became as large as a small apartment. _Guess this fight is over._

The fireball suddenly exploded into a ball of steam that swept back towards Sasuke and blanketed the area. _What the hell? Where did the water come from to burst my jutsu?_ Looking around Sasuke tried to listen for some indication of attack from Naruto. He didn't expect the fog around him to suddenly fall away in three places and to be hit rock hard pieces of air.

Throwing a kunai into the direction the blast had come from, Sasuke waited for another indication of where Naruto was hiding in the mist. _Even if I just wait a few more minutes this steam will be gone. I can deal with a few blasts of air until then._ Closing his eyes, Sasuke listened for some disturbance in the air to tell him that another attack was incoming.

To say he was a little surprised when he was suddenly yanked into the ground up to his neck was an understatement. Naruto popped out of the ground not too far from the buried Sasuke. "So Sasuke, I think you've lost this one. Care to forfeit?" He gave a light smile hoping that this would be the end of the fight.

"I won't lose to you." Sasuke broke free of the earth and dived for Naruto, hoping to land some kind of hit against the blonde. Landing a solid blow to Naruto's jaw, the Naruto before Sasuke burst and he was left all alone. _A clone?_ Looking left and right, the steam had nearly cleared and Sasuke could make out the orange of several jump suits.

"Give up Sasuke, it's not a loss. Just call it a favor for your new teammate." One of the shades of orange yelled out the suggestion from the side. _In your dreams loser!_ Bringing together his hands flared up another fireball but instead held the chakra and blasted a flamethrower to burn away the rest of the steam.

"Damn... That's too bad Sasuke. I was hoping I wouldn't have to do this..." Sasuke surveyed each of the Narutos standing before him. _Five clones. Why exactly five? If he has the chakra shouldn't he have made more to end this fight properly?_

"What were you hoping not to do? Waste your chakra on clones that can't even take a punch?" Sasuke figured he may as well try and goad Naruto into losing the fight by rushing in angry like he had done so many times before.

"Not quiet. Something a little more... Dramatic I guess you would call it." The Naruto directly in front of Sasuke spoke drawing his attention. _Dramatic? What the hell is he talking about?_

Two of the clones to either side of Sasuke put together their hands and called out at the same time, "**Earth style: Enclosing Wall!**" Smooth curved walls appeared around Sasuke, easily twenty or so feet high. _This is what he thinks is so dramatic? A curved high wall?_**  
**

Leaping up towards the the wall he grasped a small exposed stone that the wall was littered with and turned to make the rest of the jump. Looking up he saw Naruto taking a deep breath preparing to fire more of those air bullets Sasuke had dealt with earlier. Jumping to meet Naruto he put his hands together and started a torrent of flame.

A torrent of water hit them, quickly getting rid of the flame and dropping Sasuke back into the pit with a good amount of water as well. Two more Narutos joined the first at the top and each threw together the same hand signs and spewed water into the pit, but they were hitting the walls and creating a vortex in the center.

It didn't take Sasuke long to figure out that the walls once coated with water became slick and muddy making it difficult to get a hold let alone climb it. With the water rising quickly and spinning, he could feel the pull of the water trying to drag him to the center. Sasuke wasn't a fool and he knew the suction at the center would likely pull on him and try to keep him at the bottom as the water rose.

Digging into his pouch Sasuke grabbed two kunai and stabbed them into the wall as an anchoring point. Without the dizzying movement of the forming whirlpool Sasuke had some time to think. He debated whether it would be better for his pride to drown and be saved or just admit defeat. He decided to go down fighting. From his anchored position he easily threw two shurikans into the Naruto's he could see and was rewarded with their dispersion.

"Doesn't matter Sasuke, I wasn't filling it to the top, I've got what I need down there." The last Naruto spoke in a tone that seemed marginally bored. "Just a quick field question. Sasuke, do you know how to electrify water? You can't just use fresh water like that created by a jutsu. Stuff is way too pure, you'd have to be touching the person you want to shock... Now if you let some minerals get into the water... Now that's an interesting concept."

"There's no way you've learned any lightning jutsu along with wind, water, and earth. That's just impossible!" Sasuke wasn't confident on what was or wasn't anymore. Naruto had done things he was sure that no mere genin should be able to accomplish.

"Really..." Naruto said it in a quiet voice and instead opted to let the technique speak for itself. Pumping as much of his natural chakra into his hand as he could manage it started to spark and then electricity danced across his hand. Anko had properly taught him how to use the other three, but he had discovered depending on what he wanted, he could pump enough raw chakra into his body and get the desired element.

He wasn't sure how it worked but it drained his chakra extremely rapidly. The most he had been able to hold had been wind in the palm of his hand for two minutes. Each of the other elements only lasted a minute but lightning had drained him in fifteen seconds before. Slamming the electrified hand into the wet earth Naruto hoped he got the desired result, other wise he was going to pass out from chakra exhaustion and lose this duel.

Sasuke felt the full blast of the electricity that had been in Naruto's hand getting it amplified by standing in water up to his waist. The last thing Sasuke saw was Naruto as the electricity made him black out. _What ARE you?_ His last thought following him into the darkness.

"I am victor by knock out... Kakashi, you might want to rush us both to the hospital..." As Naruto spoke he felt the onset of chakra exhaustion. He had only one thing left to do before he could surrender to the darkness though. Using the chakra of his two dispersed clones, Naruto turned the structure into mud and had the training ground restored to it's previous state... Sort of.

_Least I fixed the holes..._ Naruto smiled as he fell forward, landing face first in the grass, and on the water that pored from the gone structure, Sasuke fell back and landed facing the sky. _Good... He didn't drown..._ Naruto then let the darkness take him.

* * *

**Kakashi and Sakura**

They had both been watching the fight and were completely surprised by what Naruto had accomplished. Kakashi had to tell the Hokage after getting them to the Hospital. Somehow Naruto had found a way to use four of the five basic chakra natures, and his knowledge of the Kyuubi was worrying... Something didn't seem right about it.

"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura had finally stopped being dazed and ran to the boy checking him to see if he was alright. He was breathing and seemed fine but cloth immediately attached to any metal had been charred and the bag that had held his kunai and shurikans had a nasty black hole burnt through it. Cradling Sasuke, Sakura checked his heart rate and a few other things she had been taught the basics of first aid care.

"Kakashi-sensei..." Sakura looked to her leader and wondered... _Can we trust Naruto? He just attacked Sasuke over something stupid, and he has... Is it really only a matter of time before he loses and then we'll all die?_ "Kakashi-sensei, is Naruto staying on our team?" He could easily hear the fear in her voice, and sighed. This had been the exact reason the Hokage had forbidden anyone from telling the young genin he may have been assigned with to a squad...

_This is the fear we can't let Naruto see... If he sees any more behavior like this we just might lose him completely... I can't let that happen._ "Sakura, head to the hospital to get some medic-nin, he'll be fine. Make sure you tell no one of the details of what happened here and what Naruto said about his seal... Do you understand?" Kakashi prayed the young girl really did when she nodded and took off into the distance.

Kakashi did what he could for his two young students and wondered if the two of them really would be alright.

* * *

**Sakura**

She only worried for one person as she ran down the streets of Konoha as fast as she could. Naruto had somehow managed to beat Sasuke by doing things he shouldn't have been able to. _Sasuke is going to be fine, Kakashi-sensei told me so._ That one thought held in her mind she put another burst of speed on and looked towards her destination.

**_WHAM!_**

Sakura had collided violently with someone and the impact had knocked her back flat on her ass. "Ow..." Rubbing her arm where she had smashed into the other person she looked to see who she had hit. A platinum blonde girl was sitting up rubbing her chest where Sakura's elbow had slammed into, and she immediately recognized her rival.

"Ow..." Ino was still in a daze and Sakura had to quickly think of something to say to try and distract Ino... So she went with what she thought would work best.

Jumping back up and looking around, Sakura said to Ino, "Sorry pardon me, did you see Sasuke-kun run through-"

"Cut the crap Sakura. You're not sorry, and Sasuke didn't come running by here. You're a horrible liar... What are you running for?" Ino dusted herself off and glared at Sakura. That had hurt like hell, especially since she had only just finished her genin test with Asuma-sensei. She wasn't in the mood for her rival to be slamming into her.

"I-I don't know what you mean... Sasuke-kun was by here..." Sakura looked away and knew she was floundering but she didn't know what else to do. Kakashi-sensei had said to tell no one about what had happened.

"**Mind Body Switch Jutsu!**" Ino figured the jutsu had been made for intelligence gathering and she wasn't in the mood for Sakura to lie to her. Ino's body slumped and fell over as she had only invaded Sakura's mind instead of switching their bodies. In less than a minute she had shifted through Sakura's day all the way up to the present moment.

Ino then dropped the jutsu and returned to her body. "I have to go tell the others..." She whispered it to herself and in the state Sakura was in after having her body stolen, she could only shift her weight and try to sit up. _I kept my word. I never SAID anything._ She rationalized it to herself as she finally got her legs back in order and took off for the hospital.

It wasn't her problem what Ino said after all...

* * *

**Hospital Room 226 - Three Hours after Ino **

Sasuke groaned as he came to. He remembered the fight plenty well but he didn't remember his arms feeling so heavy or his head feeling so light. Sitting up Sasuke quickly figured out, it wasn't his arm that was heavy but the two girls on either side of him holding his arms and talking loudly about who was going to hold Sasuke while he slept.

"Neither of you will. He's awake." _Kakashi you bastard..._ Sasuke glared at the end of his bed where the voice had come from and was rewarded with a smiling Kakashi, and both girls latching onto his neck and saying how worried they had been. "He may black out if you girls don't let go of him though, his system should still be pretty sensitive after that shock."

Both girls let go and sat back in their chairs not going to be the one to make their beloved Sasuke-kun feint. Sasuke sighed in relief not having either girl clinging to him, he hated the way they tried to show their affection... It was just so damned annoying. "What happened? I remember Naruto claiming to have lightning style but... That can't be true right? He can't have the reserves to do anything like that right?"

"Sasuke, he also shouldn't have the chakra to create a twenty foot wall and flood it, but he did that too. Everything we actually know about Naruto now is just guess work thanks to that little match you had with him."

"Is one of those things he has a demon inside him?" Everyone turned to Ino. "I went through Sakura's memories when she ran into me today. I found out about Naruto and went and told everyone else. We had a right to know about him before anything like this happened! What if he had hurt Sasuke today?"

Sakura had thought almost the same thing but didn't say it as Kakashi slowly walked up to Ino. "You told everyone? Define everyone... Now." Kakashi had his signature eye smile but there was something sinister lingering under it.

"All the other genin... We deserved to know didn't we? That Naruto is a monster..." Ino spoke with a small voice but still tried to give reason to what she had done.

"A monster huh? Guess that's what everyone thinks when they find out. I told my team because I did think they deserved to know." From the dividing screen Naruto's voice was calm and held just a hint of sadness. "Alright. I can understand that. Thanks for clearing up something I had been wondering..." Naruto fell silent, and not a single person moved in the room.

_What does he mean by that?_ Sakura and Ino wondered the same thing but Kakashi and Sasuke both had some idea what he meant. Kakashi had spoken to the Hokage earlier but he hadn't seemed too worried about Naruto's growth as a ninja, just impressed. He had dismissed it as Anko telling Naruto to hold back during the Academy, nothing more.

When Kakashi pulled back the screen to ask Naruto if he was alright, the bed was empty and the window was open. Naruto was gone.

"Ino... I hope you realize what it is you've done here." Kakashi was surprised that Sasuke had spoken up for his teammate.

"What do you mean Sasuke-kun? I didn't do anything wrong, I was just trying to keep everyone safe." Ino had only been looking out for her Sasuke-kun, what did it matter if Naruto had run off after what she had said?

"You called him a monster... People tend to become what people demand of them... Great things are expected of me because I am an Uchiha, so I train hard to meet that standard and because of my ambition... This village has made Naruto out to be a monster and he's been fighting against that for a while... You made the claim that the last of us that might not have had that view now do. He just might become that 'monster'."

_That can't be true can it?_ Ino looked at Sasuke waiting for a minute to see if he was messing with her. He didn't retract the statement, and his look proved he was serious. "Then I'll just go apologize and he'll be fine right? I mean, at the academy he always seemed willing to forgive and he seemed like he was alright."

"He also seemed like he was weak. Who says he forgot about everything done to him?"

"Um... I did?" Everyone turned to Naruto coming through the window. "I had to go outside for a minute to see if any of the other genin were trying to get in here. The reception desk had Shino, Kiba, and Hinata along with your teammates Ino. I think they want to come see me and see if it's all true. Mind telling reception I'm awake so they can send them up?"

"You sure Naruto?" Kakashi was a little quiet as he asked Naruto. Naruto shrugged and nodded. He would have to deal with it anyways, might as well deal with it. "Alright. One moment." Kakashi used the shunshin jutsu and vanished from the room.

"Naruto, I'm sorry I didn't mean it when I said you're a monster..." Ino was quiet as she apologized.

"Nothing to say sorry for. I'm a monster. So what? I'm the same monster you've always known. Better the monster you know than the one you don't right? So no hard feelings." Naruto went back to his bed and sat down.

_But we don't really know you Naruto..._ Sakura looked over at the boy that sat alone. _What do we really know about you Naruto?_

Ino saw Naruto sitting alone and wondered just how many times she had seen him like that before. Somewhere all by himself, no friends, no family. No one there for him. _I'm sorry Naruto...__  
_

_Your pain has made you stronger Naruto. There's a reason for your pain and you have ambition like I do. Use all your strength for it._ Sasuke had found a rival worthy to be beaten.

_Damn, I really wanted to sneak out and get some ramen._ Naruto glumly looked at the ground. _And Anko comes back from her mission today... Damn I could have gotten her to but dango for me too._ Naruto lamented his luck, and just hoped he could get all of this settled and done quickly.

Looking to the door as it slowly opened Shikamaru looked inside. "Man, what a drag. Hey Ino, Sasuke, Sakura, Naruto. What's up?" Stepping inside he walked over to Naruto and sat in a chair beside the bed.

Choji walked in after munching down on a bag of chips. He only gave a nod of his head and went to stand between Ino and Shikamaru. Next to poke their head in was Shino followed by Hinata hiding behind Shino's sleeve. She looked at Naruto, blushed lightly and hid almost entirely behind him. Stepping in Shino walked all the way over to the curtain to allow Hinata to hide behind it and give himself a seat over by the window.

"Dead last! Good to see you man! Guess passing the first genin test was kinda bull huh?" Kiba smiled as he walked forward and straight up to Naruto, Akamaru yipped at Naruto from the top of Kiba's head and wagged his tail. "How did your test go? You fail that one too?" Kiba laughed at the joke and so did Naruto.

"I never was any good at tests, just like you aren't. Maybe if I had a fox to sit on my head I'd get him to cheat for me too." Kiba laughed at the little jib as Iruka had once made that accusation.

"Maybe he'll ask for treats and occasionally scruff your hair like my loyal companion."

"Not possible, I'm not going to find a single fox as loyal as him. Inuzuka hounds are renowned for their loyalty, but I don't think I've seen two so close." Kiba smiled at the compliment. "Alright let's cut to it though. You all have questions I'm sure. Ask away."

"Is it true?" Simple question to start with, but Kiba wasn't one to complicate things. Naruto nodded not needing to voice a confirmation. "Alright, so why didn't you tell us before?"

"Thought you guys might freak out. Didn't want you all to flip out about it."

"Well, you're the same Naruto we've always known. Why would we react badly?" Naruto shrugged at Shikamaru's question.

"Don't really know why. Just thought you would." Some nods from the people assembled there.

"Is there really a chance it can get out?" Hinata surprised everyone by speaking up from beside Shino and behind the curtain.

"Yes there is, but Naruto is strong willed enough that it won't." Kakashi spoke from the doorway. "The seal will keep the Kyuubi from escaping and there will be a fairly easy sign to find out if the seal is leaking." Kakashi then stepped inside and added to the crowding of the room.

Naruto was a bit curious about the sign but Sakura beat him to it. "What sign is that Kakashi-sensei?"

"He'll change. That's all that was specified to me from the Hokage. So relax, we'll know." With that Kakashi pulled out his little orange book and began to read. He hadn't asked for specifics and the Hokage hadn't seemed forth coming with them.

"Alright. So any other questions I guess?" Naruto looked around at everyone, but they seemed to be fine. "No more questions? Then how about some Ichiraku?" Choji stopped mid way through eating a chip with a glint in his eye.

"Ichiraku ramen?" Choji waited for the nod from Naruto, then smiled. "What are we waiting for? Lets go!" Choji and Naruto both raced for the door and were out in a quick rush. Kiba paused for a moment, then decided to race after the duo. Shikamaru shook his head thinking about how it was going to be a drag to go after them but got up and started walking anyways. Shino stood and walked out the door leaving the three girls with Sasuke and Kakashi.

Hinata gazed at the door where the boys had raced through. She would have like to go with them but she didn't think she would be all that welcome at a stand if she was too nervous to speak. She let out a soft sigh, clutched her hand to her heart, and walked out the door heading back to the Hyuga compound.

That left Sasuke with the two girls, and Kakashi with a story to read. Sasuke looked to his teacher and asked, "When can I leave?"

Flipping the page Kakashi didn't bother to look up. "Soon as you're able to stand. So probably now." Sasuke threw back the sheet and hopped off the edge of the bed. He had everything but his jacket still on, and he knew where it was. Grabbing it, he was out the door before the two girls could do more than call out, "Sasuke-kun!"

Kakashi laughed at the display as the two rivals chased their prize. _Ah to be young and in love..._ Looking down at his book his smile widened. _Maybe that's why I spend so much time with this?_ He could always spend some time and try and find someone, but Kakashi wasn't looking for anything yet.

* * *

**Naruto**

He had been a bit surprised that the others had reacted so easily to the discovery. It was strange to know that these people didn't care about his inner demon. Remembering what he had planned earlier, he stopped and let Choji catch him. Naruto had run a good fifteen or so seconds in front of him so waited and caught his breath.

Choji slowed to a brisk walk when he saw Naruto stop and asked him, "Hey, what's up? Not feeling like ramen? I know a great barbecue place." Choji thought it only fair to offer, but Naruto shook his head.

"I've got to take care of a few things, I'll meet you at Ichiraku. Order something an Akimichi would be proud of." With a smile, Naruto was off to where he figured Anko would be. Reaching the little dango shop, Naruto could already hear her inside.

"What do you mean I've had enough? It's dango, not poison or something! You can't cut me off!"

"Thirty coupons for three free sticks with purchase of two! You have had enough! Pay for a few of those or get out and don't come back!" So that's what the problem was... Stepping into the shop, Naruto immediately felt the attention of both the shopkeeper and Anko.

"Gaki!"

"Boy!"

"Help me get my point across!" They both stated the same thing and glared at each other. Naruto was naturally going to side with Anko, but it wouldn't do for her to be barred from the place.

"How many plates did she eat?" Naruto figured it was a safe enough question to ask.

"I ate twelve servings."

"You ordered thirty!"

Guess the question was more loaded than Naruto had anticipated. "Alright, if she saves eighteen of the coupons, will you allow her to use them again another day? I'll pay for all of the ones she ate today, and she'll limit the amount she uses next time. Fair enough?" Anko looked to the store owner and hoped Naruto had gotten her off the hook.

"Fine. But she can not use more than three coupons a day!" The shopkeeper knew he had made a mistake when he had made those, he just hadn't been sure why until Anko had come today with a smile. That twisted and evil smile of hers. The shop keeper shook a bit, then walked back into the kitchen and away from the two.

"Thanks gaki, now I can barely use any coupons when I do come here!" Anko pretended to pout but in reality she was glad to be back home. She had started to miss the little blonde idiot.

"You're welcome Anko, you can thank me by buying a plate and taking it along with me to Ichiraku. Got some people I want you to meet." Naruto had a wide grin at her surprise. It felt good to have people that weren't going to treat him differently for what he had inside him.

"Well, I got a better thank you right here." Reaching into her trench coat she pulled out a pretty sizable box and handed it to him. "Open it up and tell me what you think." She left it up to Naruto to figure out what it was she had gotten for him.

Popping the container open, Naruto saw a midnight black shirt on the top. Feeling the fabric he could already tell it was reinforced somehow to make it more durable. Pulling it out he laid it on his shoulder and looked at the same deep black pants but the detailing was a deep crimson that stood out and accentuated the details of it. "Anko... These are incredible! Where did you get them?"

"Found a little out of the way shop that had some good stuff in it, this was some of it. There's also something special about the fabric, if you put some chakra into it, it'll change it's shape to match your fit. Or at least that's what the maker said. No idea if that's true. Oh, and I got this." Grabbing a bag that had been at her feet Naruto hadn't noticed, she pulled out a trench coat that matched the deep black and red of the pants.

The design on the trench coat was elegant, at the edges of the sleeves the red a bit brighter and shined with a luster that Naruto had seen in silk and as the red changed to black it darkened and faded smoothly. The bottom edges was also the same way, and Naruto loved it for its simplicity. Designs distracted from the beauty of the material and whoever had designed this had made the coat the entirety of the focus.

"Anko... I... It's beautiful." Naruto didn't know what to say, this was something he had never expected.

"Don't get teary eyed on me kid, it's just something to replace that crappy orange jumpsuit you always wear, no big deal. So go change and come back out and we'll meet everyone you wanted me to meet alright?" Naruto gave an enthusiastic nod and took off for the restrooms to change. Anko chuckled and smiled as she saw Naruto practically run people out of the way.

_He seems excited. I'm glad... It's good to see him smile like that._ It wasn't like Anko to care much about the happiness of others but Naruto was different. Naruto was... Well, she wasn't sure what Naruto was to her but she knew that it made him matter to her. It wasn't something most people got from her.

_I wonder if it's true all the crap they said about the cloth. Self repairing, fits to a body, repels dust. All it needs is a little chakra. Wonder what would happen if you pumped a shit ton of chakra into it and got hit by a barrage of kunai..._ Anko smiled at the thought of turning Naruto into a replica pin cushion. _Not like I wouldn't get him to the hospital._

Anko was pulled from her thoughts as Naruto walked out of the small hallway in what she had given him. _He looks like an entirely new man. Kid! Looks like a new KID. _She had mentally correct herself as Naruto walked up to her. "Ready to get going?" He smiled as he offered his arm that she would have to stoop to put an arm through.

"Ready as I always am." With a smile she opted to set a hand on his elbow and let him take the lead. Naruto was in cloud nine, he had people that weren't scared of him, Anko was back, and she had given him one of the most amazing presents he had ever received. Life was amazing right now!

"So how are we going to deal with Naruto?" _What?_ They had come across one of the smaller alleys that cut by Ichiraku and he thought he had heard Kiba's voice.

"We'll have to keep smiling and pretend to be friendly. He has the power to destroy the entire town if he loses it. We have to pretend we're okay with what he is... It's for the village." _That sounded like Choji..._

"Ya, I know. I'm sorry I asked all of you to pretend to be his friends. I know it's a drag, but we can't let everything fall apart because of him. We have a duty as shinobi of the leaf... He can't be allowed to rampage." _Shikamaru... No... This can't be..._

"I understand our duty. I will comply." Shino's emotionless voice was the last nail in the coffin for Naruto. _They... They all lied... They... all... LIED!_ Naruto was beyond pissed, he had heard enough.

Turning around Naruto began walking the other way stopping when their voices could no longer be heard. Anko walked with him, having heard them from farther away she knew they had been only moments from getting around the corner and Naruto wouldn't be like this. "Naruto..."

"Anko, remember that bet you lost when we drank the sake?" Anko was surprised Naruto even remembered, she thought he had no memory of the night.

"Ya I guess. What about it?"

"Teach me how to make them fear me like they fear you. They don't want to like me? Fine... Then I'll give them something to hate." Anko looked at the boy and saw the steely resolve in them.

"Alright Naruto... I'll teach you. But this won't make things any better. In fact, it'll make things worse." She had to give him the warning, and she hoped he would take it.

"It doesn't matter, as long as I have you..." Naruto then hugged Anko tightly so she wouldn't see the tears that were forming in his eyes. She was caught off guard by it, but her shock only lasted a few more moments. Then she lightly put her arms around him and held him.

"We need to go talk to the Hokage tonight though." Naruto just gave a slight nod but didn't let go of Anko just yet. He just wanted to stay against the one person in the world that cared about him. "The training you're going to get is going to be a lot more intense as you're going to be spending all your free time outside of missions in the training ground. Think you can handle that?"

"Ya, but what do you mean by free time?"

"If you're not on a mission you'll be there whether I am or not. Got it?" Naruto let go of her and nodded his head. He was ready for whatever it took. "Alright, then lets head over to his office. He's probably still there with paper work." Anko took the lead and Naruto followed quickly behind.

_If I can't be someone they care about, then I'll become what they fear. I'm tired of trying to pretend everything is alright._ Naruto knew that it would make the village hate him more, but if they wouldn't respect him as a person, then they would learn to fear him as a monster.

* * *

**Hokage's Office**

Hiruzen let out a sigh as he looked over the mountain of paperwork in his office. So much to do... So much paper stacks. He had found that even when he was younger no matter how much he got done there was always more. In his age he was still pretty on top of things but there must be a better way to take care of all this paper work. Maybe an incinerator could be installed under his desk...

As he contemplated the implications of getting one he heard his receptionist frantically trying to tell someone outside that he was too busy for visitors. He knew exactly who it was when instead of responding to the receptionist a loud pounding knock came. "Come in Mitarashi-san." A distraction from paperwork was always welcome into his office.

Throwing open the doors, Anko stepped in followed by a blonde boy that looked a lot like Naruto, except he was clad in black and red instead of his usual orange jumpsuit. The difference wasn't too ridiculous and Hiruzen realized that Naruto must have changed his style. _I liked the orange on Naruto though... It was one of the last times he and I shopped together..._

He didn't have time to stroll down memory lane though as Anko immediately jumped to why she was there. "I want permission for Naruto to enter training ground forty-four." _Damn it, more paperwork! Maybe the receptionist was right in trying to turn her away..._

"Why do you want that Anko? The forest of death is infamous for ending a Shinobi's career." He was hoping that hearing the nickname for the grounds would persuade Naruto to step in and get Anko to relent, but Naruto stood silently to the side, a distant and dead look in his eye as he gazed off into the village._ Naruto, what happened?_

"I want him to have a proper training ground for his rather... Unique needs. If you're wondering if you can get him out of it, he's the one that asked to be made stronger."

"Don't lie Anko. Hokage-sama deserves the truth from his nin." Naruto looked to him but the look still was in his gaze. The respect seemed to be in title and understanding that the Hokage outranked him, there was no caring for Hiruzen as an individual. As Hokage, there were very few times he ever truly felt afraid for the village.

This was one of those moments.

"What do you mean? It's not technically a lie..." Anko gave a small pout but let Naruto continue.

"I learned just what I am to everyone out there. A few of my 'friends' proved it to me today. So if I can't be respected as Naruto, maybe they'll learn to fear the Demon." Anko shook her head knowing that since he had said that there was no way-

"Alright Naruto... I understand you're in pain and that you feel like this is what you must do. I have only two conditions to allow you to train there. The first is for Anko and she won't like it... You have to work under Kakashi as the link between Naruto and his team."

"What!? You expect me to join a genin team? Forget it, we'll just break into the training ground and use it anyways. I was just trying to be polite and go through proper channels and all." Anko was pissed. She hated working with most genin, all they did was bitch about her training, or that things were too hard, or how great they are. She didn't need to hear it.

"I'll double the number of ANBU guarding and include a tail on you and Naruto at all times, and if he steps one foot in there I'll have both your headbands." Anko had never seen him so adamant about anything before. "I need you to mediate if something happens. The only person who has a chance of keeping things from escalating when Naruto goes out on missions will be you."

"Ya but-" Hiruzen cut her off quickly.

"If a villager tries to strike Naruto, before he would just dodge... but now you would take the hit and reciprocate wouldn't you Naruto?" He nodded his head. He wasn't going to lie about it, he had told the council if someone struck him he would have killed them as well. "You see? And he wouldn't listen to Kakashi, Sasuke, or Sakura. You are quiet literally the only thing that can stop him."

Anko stopped and thought it over... _If he starts killing villagers, he gets run out of town and he'll be left all alone... Like that day so many years ago. Then I'll be alone too... No I'd probably leave with him._ She nodded her head, not happy about the condition but she would deal with it. "And the second condition?"

"The second is for Naruto. On a mission he will either treat all of your team with distance or you will treat them all with care. You will not show favoritism. Understood?" _If he tries to care maybe, just maybe, the team can bring back the Naruto I knew so many years ago. The one that smiled and loved everyone he met._

"Understood Hokage-sama. May I ask a question though?" Nodding his head the Hokage was a bit curious as to what the young boy had to ask. "Does Anko get paid for taking on the assignment you've given her?" Hiruzen thought it over for a minute. _More paperwork to add to the list..._ Sighing, he nodded.

"Since she is in no danger, it will be treated as a long term C-rank mission. She will be paid accordingly." With a nod from Naruto and a smile from Anko, they left him alone in his office once again.

_I guess I should probably get the mission and permission signed and done... So much work... How did you all seem to always have free time?_ Looking to the wall that held all of his predecessors and one that he thought would allow him to retire he hoped that something would come to him, but sadly nothing did. With a sad look, he got started on the pressing work.

* * *

**Naruto and Anko**

"So are we going to head back to Ichiraku and talk to those guys? See if they freak when you walk in?" Anko tried to see if she could get a reaction from him.

"Nope, don't really feel like seeing them." Naruto headed for the bar. A stiff drink of sake sounded like the perfect bit of medicine right now. They reached it in silence and Naruto was the first through the door and heading for the little table at the back, nodding to the bartender when he lifted a bottle of sake.

Anko followed behind the boy and really saw how familiar the boy had become with the bar. He moved throw the patrons with ease, and even knew how to order without approaching the bar. _I really am a bad influence._ The thought made her smile. They made it to the table without incident, and the bartender was quick with the sake.

"To the future." Raising a glass to Anko Naruto smiled at his little joke.

"To the future." Anko raised hers and they clinked them together then downed it in a quick gulp. They spent about an hour finishing the bottle and Anko knew it was about time to get the gaki home. He had training and a mission he shouldn't have a hangover for. "Alright gaki, lets head home." Naruto gave a drunken nod and smiled at her.

He didn't really trust his words to not be slurred as he had taken more shots of sake than Anko had, draining the bottle at about a 60-40 ratio. Even drunk, Naruto easily navigated to the door and was out. Looking around the street, Naruto's eyes fell on a couple that were holding hands. They were a good distance away but Naruto heard their words.

"I love you Sami-kun." The woman was speaking to the man and they had stopped to gaze at each other.

"I love you too Kiri-chan." The man then leaned forward and kissed the woman on the lips. They walked away happily into the night, their hands laced together and her holding on to his arm. It was at that moment Anko actually got out of the bar having bought a bottle for the road.

"Come on gaki, let's head home." Turning to go, Anko walked in front of Naruto. Following behind her, Naruto saw her hand swinging back and forth. _I wonder..._ Reaching forward he took a hold of her hand, making her stop and look at the boy. "What are you doing Naruto?" He looked up at her and thought for a moment maybe that it was a bad idea to take her hand.

"I was going to hold your hand..." He let go of her hand and looked down at the floor feeling embarrassed for some reason. Seeing Naruto shuffle his feet and staring at the ground, Anko felt slightly bad about her reaction.

Reaching forward and she took his hand, lacing her fingers through his. _What am I doing this for? It's not like he wouldn't get over it after a bit..._

"Come on gaki." She was happy at the surprised look Naruto gave her. It wasn't often she caught the boy off guard, and it wasn't such a bad feeling, his hand in hers. _Getting soft Anko. Not such a bad thing..._ She walked a bit faster towards Naruto's apartment as, even though she was voluntarily holding his hand, she didn't want anyone to see her doing so.

They arrived without an incident of Anko being seen and needing to murder any witnesses which was a good thing. She walked with Naruto to the base of the stairs and after a moment longer, let go of his hand. "Goodnight gaki."

"Goodnight Anko." Taking a few steps up the stairs, he paused and turned back to her. He seemed like he was about to say something, but he got red and instead just jogged up the stairs. _Wonder what he was going to say... Maybe he was going to say the same thing as last time he was drunk._ It still brought a smile to her face hearing the echo of his words in her mind._  
_

"I love you Anko..." She couldn't help but smile at his words. It was cute that he thought he was in love. At that age, he didn't really know what love was. Hell she was twice his age and still hadn't truly fallen in love with anyone.

_Ya when he get's older, I'm sure he'll forget about this little crush and move on to someone his own age. Just a matter of time and he'll be thinking of a different girl..._ Anko thought about it for a few moments and laughed about it, but thinking about her actually stung a little... _Ya, he'll move on to someone else... And I'll be left alone..._

_I could always try and find someone I guess. Settle down with someone... Be normal for a change._ Somehow the idea didn't appeal to her... She thought of all the days she had trained with Naruto and all the times he smiled after working himself ragged... And how she always smiled back.

She always tried to make the kid smile. She cared about him after all... And lately she had been going out of her way to spend time with him. _He has no one else to spend time with right?_ And all the times she had taken extra time to stop by to say goodbye or leave a note. _That's just because I know he'll miss me when I'm gone..._

Then there was how excited she was to come home to see him after missing him on the mission. She had no reason for that... She just missed the gaki, he would take her out to eat and they always had fun together.

_Kinda like a date... _The thought came as a surprise to her and she immediately dismissed it. _Not a date, just two friends spending time together._ _A lot of time... And one loves the other..._ For a moment she wasn't sure which one of them was the other.

Shaking her head she cracked open her sake and took the first swig hoping to kill whatever pesky brain cell it was that was messing with her thoughts. She didn't love Naruto after all. She cared sure, but not loved.

_Are you so sure? Have you ever let anyone get this close to you?_ She was friendly, people just had to not treat her like shit and she would be friendly most of the time... Occasionally. _How many times do you seek out people?_ That's just because she liked being around the gaki. He made her laugh. _How many people do you hold hands with._

He had seemed so disappointed...

_What did it matter? Why take his hand?_

Because...

_You laced your fingers in his._

That was just...

_You wanted to hear it again tonight._

I didn't.

_You let your guard down around him._

No I just feel more relaxed.

_You love him._

I just care about him!

_You think about him, you miss him, hell you've slept with him on plenty of nights. Nobody has ever been so close to you. He holds you and sleeps on your heart._

That's just... I mean...

_He means the world to you. You saved his life._

He didn't mean that to me before I saved him.

_And now you can't go a day without him. You wake up and you buy dango and ramen. You look forward to his smile when he sees you, you can't wait to come back to him after a mission, you even got him a gift this time out._

...

_You don't push him away when he asks you things._

...

_You smile when you think about him._

I... I can't love him... I'm twice his age.

_Love doesn't always make sense._

What do you know! I've never been in love before!

_You've never felt like this before either. You're having an argument with yourself after all._

Taking a swig of sake Anko tried to once again kill the pesky thoughts she was having. She just couldn't be, not with him... There was no way things could work out well...

_When have I ever made thing's easy for myself? _Sighing, she took another drink of sake. She had a long night ahead of her trying to convince herself that it just wasn't true.

She didn't succeed, but she came to the conclusion that she could fake it. It was for Naruto's well being after all... He wouldn't ever really be happy with her.

She didn't succeed in pretending that was true either.

* * *

**AN: As always feel free to comment on how I did. Hope you guys can deal with the wave arc as I plan for them to actually take on the mission. And plums because you brought it up twice, I won't be having Naruto go through the Chunin exams. **

**There may or not be snake bites as I haven't quiet worked out whether team seven will still be going after Naruto leaves it. I'm debating disbanding it, but I'm more tempted to throw them a bone and create either a very basic OC or let Sai in early.**

** Alright so that's all for today, tell me if I suck for pushing Naruto into deeper depression or throwing in the Anko conflict with herself. I thought it might be a little early for her to admit it to herself, but I figured she probably would, just reject it as she doesn't want to have her relationship with Naruto getting anymore complicated.**

**And I'll try to keep off cliffhangers for you fine people from now on. No promises though, sometimes it's the best place to leave off on though.**


	7. Chapter 7: Unintended Consequences

**Chapter 7: Unintended Consequences**

"Where is Kakashi-sensei? He's already an hour late!" Sakura was agitated with her sensei's constant apathy for the time of day. The first day they had met, over two hours waiting in the class for him, then the two and a half hours for the bell test yesterday, and now an hour today? What did the man do that took up so much time?

"We only agreed to meet outside the assignment area because he said he'd be on time for it, but here we are and he's completely forgotten about us!" Sasuke didn't see a point in voicing his frustrations with the man, he could have spent this time training or doing something useful.

"And where is Naruto-baka?" Sakura once again looked around and let out a sigh before falling into a chair. Here she was being the diligent student once again, and the teacher and her teammate couldn't be bothered to show up. Where were they?

This time Kakashi had other reasons for being late...

* * *

**Kakashi**

"Hokage-sama Ino Yamanaka is the one that spread the information to the other students." Kakashi had waited for the early hours of the morning to follow through with the information. He had figured he would have to wait a bit for the Hokage's time and that just before mission assignment was as good as any.

"Are you sure Kakashi? There have to be consequences for that, but if it was a child... They wouldn't have been aware of the steep penalties for it..." Hiruzen got up from his chair and looked out towards the village. "There has to be a way to levy the penalty..." Kakashi remained silent as the Hokage thought out loud and came to a solution that wouldn't require the girl to lose her life.

"Bring Naruto and Ino..." Kakashi didn't move as one of the two ANBU bodyguards took off to get the two kids.

"Why Naruto? He's not on the best of terms with... Well, long list there but Ino is on it."

"Naruto has to decide what befalls the girl. I'm sure he won't ask for her death but... There has to be some form of punishment for her. I can think of no one better than him to decide the punishment." _I just pray he is lenient...__  
_

"Naruto isn't going to just let it go this time... Ino let everyone know and now he feels alone. What would you do in his position?" _Thankfully I never mentioned how she happened to obtain that privileged information... I'm sure he knows the most likely scenario, but he hasn't been explicitly told so he can at least ignore that factor._

"I don't know. That boy has been through a lot and this doesn't help it... I can't imagine what the pain in his heart must be like..."

* * *

**Naruto**

Currently the pain wasn't in Naruto's heart, it was in his head. He hadn't gotten too hammered last night with Anko, and when he had embarrassed himself, he had downed some of the sake in his fridge until he had been able to sleep. Black out, sleep, same thing. Now there was a light tapping at the door and an echoing pounding in his head.

"Door is open." Naruto walked into the kitchen and got some water to try and get rid of the killer headache or at least help it. An ANBU walked into the apartment and he didn't even need the voiced request. "Hokage-sama asking for me? Give me a minute." Taking a towel, he let it run under the cold water for a moment to soak it then washed off his face.

The frigid temperature was enough to get Naruto awake, and he felt a little better with his face cleaned. Drying off his face with another towel, he turned on the faucet and let a cup catch the water. When he was finished drying, he turned off the water and quickly drank the cup.

"Alright, let's walk. I need to get rid of this hangover." The ANBU gave a nod of acknowledgement and walked out of the apartment, Naruto tailing behind them. Walking through the streets was uneventful except for the initial blinding as Naruto went from a semi-dark apartment to the semi-bright outdoors. Must be sometime past sunrise...

_Damn, Anko is going to kill me..._ He was probably already supposed to be training with her. He could probably write off the lateness as the Hokage asking for him. Maybe.

"So what does the Hokage need me for?" Figured he could at least try and get something out of the ANBU. Information was always a good thing.

"He needs Ino Yamanaka and the Yamanaka clan head, he wanted you." Well, that was cryptic. What the hell did he want Naruto for?

"What did he want me for then and why Ino?" This time though, the ANBU just shook his head. That was all Naruto managed to work from the man as they made their way to the flower shop. Naruto saw the way villagers cast glances at him and smiled. With an ANBU and his status as a ninja, they weren't even throwing insults his way. Even with a hangover, today was turning out pretty good.

"Wait here for a moment." The ANBU stopped Naruto outside the little shop and headed in. _Guess this is Ino's family flower shop. Smaller than I pictured. _Naruto shrugged as he was sure that they probably had it more as a distraction when missions weren't available.

"What does the Hokage want me for?" Ino was already asking the ANBU a multitude of questions. "I didn't do anything wrong." Seeing Naruto, he knew exactly what she would say next. _So Naruto is in trouble for something?_

"What's he doing here?" _Damn, wasn't even close._

"Same as you. Trying to figure out what they want me for. Why is your dad coming?" Ino turned around and seeing her dad registered the same shock Naruto felt.

"Dad?" Ino was a bit worried about what he had to say to her but he shook his head before he used the shushin to disappear. _Well that was an odd little family moment._

"Follow me the both of you. Speak only if spoken to understood?" The ANBU had once again emerged from the flower shop and this time seemed ready to leave.

"Yes understood." Both genin spoke at the same time knowing it wasn't a request. With a nod the two followed in silence.

* * *

**Hokage's Chambers**

Inoichi suddenly appeared in the room surveying to find Kakashi and the Hokage idly chatting about the finer points of Icha Icha. "I have to say, the man's creativity knows no bounds. He is unafraid of creating the most unrealistic of pairings and causing them to blossom into a relationship of love."

"I have to agree in that regard, but it would be good to see him write a more traditional love story so that a younger audience might find joy from his writings."

"Ah, but Hokage-sama, what are we but the remnants of a younger generation?"

"What the hell are you two talking about? I was told my daughter might be facing execution for crimes and you're talking about some goddamn books!?" He was outraged at the apparent disregard for his darling girl. This couldn't be right, the Hokage wouldn't allow a child to be put to death could he?

"Calm yourself Yamanaka-san. You know which law she broke don't you? One I personally swore would result in death? The one I was forced to make in hopes to give him a normal life?" Looking into the Hokage's eyes he could see that it was not an easy decision on his part. He was in pain having to follow through with his own law.

"There has to be some way around it, something, anything!" Inoichi was a reasonable man and an intelligent one. It came from having a Nara as a best friend, you tend to pick up a few things. In every law, there were ways to allow a softer penalty.

"There is... But there's only one person that can offer it." The Hokage let his words settle on the man's mind, and slowly Inoichi realized just who would be the one to have to give her leniency. "There is nothing I can do to change it, but he can..."

"You have to order him to then, there was just no way she could know the consequences!" Inoichi would be damned if his daughter was going to die from a law she had no chance of even knowing.

"Then I have to press the fact she used your families technique to steal classified information from the mind of another kunoichi! That infraction she committed has no clause for leniency! She WILL have to face those consequences then. This is her only chance at mercy. I have no other options I can take for her rash actions Yamanaka-san... I am truly sorry." _She used the mind body switch technique on another leaf nin? Damn it, I warned her the penalties possible if she used it on anyone from the village!_

"I understand now Hokage-sama... I understand what I must do." He straightened his back and steeled his gaze. He would put up the front of a leader, for his daughter's sake. _Inoichi, my heart goes out to you._ The Hokage had seen the man like this only on the days where his heart was breaking... The days they had to bury friends and family.

_May this day not be one where a mother mourns..._

A knock came at the door to his office and Kakashi took his position to the left of the Hokage, and Inoichi to his right. "Enter." Now wasn't the time for pleasantries. Naruto opened the doors and strolled in with Ino following on his heels.

"Hokage-sama, Kakashi-sensei, Yamanaka-sama." Three small bows and Naruto stepped to the side. _What's all of this about?_

"Hokage-sama, Hatake-sama, Father." Deep bow, smaller bow, and another deep one. She made to move to the side as Naruto had done but her father shook his head and she stayed in the center of the room.

"Ino Yamanaka, you are being charged with revealing an S-class secret to the respective people: Kiba Inuzuka, Hinata Hyuga, Shino Aburame, Shikamaru Nara, and Choji Akimichi. The penalty for this crime is death. Do you understand the terms of what has been stated to you?" It was horrible seeing the shock and terror in her eyes as she realized what this was... They had just told her she was going to die today.

"I-I-I told them because I thought we deserved to know, I didn't know it was an S-class secret!" Ino was terrified as the Hokage shook his head.

"Had you needed to know, it would have been revealed to you. There was a reason you had not heard of Naruto's situation before that day. I have already sent ANBU to explain the situation to the other five that you told, and the penalty for revealing it to anyone younger than an age that remembers the Kyuubi attacks."

"Then am I not exempt? I had no way to know of the law much less follow it!"

"When you receive privileged information in the field, you don't tell the squad, you notify your leader. Should he have fallen you find another superior, you continue up the chain until you find a superior. By not speaking to anyone about this, you risked the safety of this village by acting like a child rather than a shinobi."

"I thought-"

"The thoughts of a genin do not overrule the law of a Hokage." Ino turned to her father tears forming in her eyes. His voice was cold and distant, and he couldn't bring himself to look at her.

"This can't be right... I can't die... I don't want to die..." Ino lost all of her senses and fell to the carpeted floor of the office, openly wailing that she didn't want to die.

_God damn it, I'm hungover stop screaming!_ His hangover was almost gone, but still he hated the screaming. _Why was I brought to see this? The Hokage isn't one to let a clan's child be harmed, just the demon brat. So why this charade? Whats the game here?_

"As the leader of the clan Yamanaka I understand that to keep peace in the village I must be the one to silence or bear witness to the silencing of the member of my family that has fallen from grace as a shinobi."

"No! Dad please, I'm begging you, there has to be something you can do. What about Shikamaru's dad? He has to know there's another way!" Her words fell on deaf ears as her father continued in a lifeless voice.

"Ino Yamanaka, for your crimes you must pay the ultimate price to the one that was betrayed." _The one that was betrayed? So that's your game old man... _Drawing a kunai, he held it out to her. "My daughter you may take your life if you so wish, or I will be the one forced to do this." A lone tear fell from Inoichi's eyes.

"Stop." All eyes turned to Naruto, everyone's full attention on him. "Define the statement, 'The one that was betrayed.' Does the betrayed have no say in the terms of punishment?"

The Hokage nodded and spoke as Inoichi withdrew his kunai. Ino lay on the carpet too shocked to understand what was going on. She was still drawing breath and that was pretty important to her. "Yes Naruto, the betrayed is the only one that can levy for a different penalty. The accused is allowed to ask but as it is written into the law, we are not allowed to offer it without the betrayed's permission."

"So that's why I got dragged here huh? Figures..." Naruto shook his head and spoke to Ino. "Go wash your face, and clean yourself up." Ino didn't question the boy, instead immediately jumping up and running to the bathrooms to clean herself up. He then set his eyes upon the three men that stood before him.

"Thank you Naruto! Thank you!" Inoichi took a step forward to shake the boy's hand as he was sure Naruto had found it in his heart to forgive his daughter.

"Don't thank me. I simply let her face her death with honor instead of cowardice. She will come back refreshed and find that the outcome has not changed."

"Naruto!"

"You can't be serious!"

"What the hell do you mean the outcome has not changed!?"

"Yes Hokage-sama? I am deathly serious Kakashi-sensei, the Hokage made the law for a reason did he not? And Yamanaka-sama, I mean that today your daughter will still die." His voice was calm as he spoke to two shocked and one infuriated man.

"Naruto you would really allow a child to die for a crime they didn't know they were committing?"

"You three seemed pretty accepting of it, why is it so hard to believe I am as well?" The Hokage was visibly appalled by Naruto. _What has happened to you, the boy that once looked to me as grandfather and I looked to as grandson?_

"We were hoping you would save her Naruto..." Kakashi stepped forward this time as he was sure Inoichi wouldn't be in a talking mood.

"Why? Because we were classmates? She hated me more than you know and ridiculed me daily. Because we are shinobi? Shinobi follow the laws laid down and act with respect and honor for their companions. Because she is a woman? I care for only one woman. So tell me, why should I give a damn?" This silenced the two men that stood before him, but Inoichi could not contain himself another moment.

"Tell me what I have to do then! Damn it, give me a way to save my daughter! You say you care for a woman, then place her in my daughters position and yourself in mine and tell me you would still allow her to die!" Naruto was shocked by the man's words... They had hit a place he didn't know was possible. _If Anko was the one that was crying..._

He had murdered for her, and would gladly have died that night if it meant she was safe. He would have given his body, his life, and his soul to know that Anko would always be safe. _This man has done me no wrong... He may be a part of those that hate me, certainly after what I've said, but still... He has done me no wrong as of this moment... And the way he speaks..._

"Please, Naruto... Tell me what I have to do to save her." His voice was utterly defeated and the clan head did something that shocked everyone in the room. Getting to his knees, he bowed so that his forehead touched the floor. "I will beg on my hands and knees if that's what it takes, save a million ryo so that I might buy her freedom, name your price and I shall strive for it... Please... Just let my baby girl go..."

The man before Naruto shook, and Naruto could hear he was weeping. _He's willing to do this before me to save her?_ _This is how much she means to him... _Stepping forward Naruto took a hold of the man's shoulder and in an instant the head lifted and stared into Naruto's eyes. There was a glimmer of hope that just maybe, just maybe, there was a chance...

"Stand up Yamanaka-sama... I won't ask such a price of you... But what I will ask is something I think your family will hate me for anyways, but I think there is a way I can let your daughter go free."

"Name what I have to do!" Jumping to his feet the man prepared for what he thought would be some elaborate or complicated task.

"I am going to steal your daughter's voice."

"What?" All three men gave Naruto an odd stare as he made the statement. "What do you mean, steal her voice?"

"I will spend some time practicing to create a seal that silences one's words. She has until the time I complete the seal to speak, then once it is done, I will administer it. You have until that time to teach her in the art of telepathy or she will lose her ability to be an effective shinobi. I think it a fair price as you said yourself, 'You are to be the one to silence her... OR bear witness to it.'"

"So... What you're asking is to put a seal on my daughter so that she can no longer speak to those that do not wish to hear her?" Inoichi thought it odd, but if she lived, what the hell did it matter? His daughter already know how to use the art and would be able to communicate just as effectively.

"Yes. She helped to turn everyone else against me, she convinced them all I'm a monster, so I want her to pay for it. Why should I be targeted because your daughter felt I'm a monster? When have I ever attacked people? They start everything with me, but since I had this burden thrust on me, everyone despises me. So let her carry a seal and understand just a fraction of the loneliness I had to face every day with. So this is the price I ask... Silence one way or another."

"Naruto, are you sure this is the price you wish to ask for?" The Hokage only needed a nod of Naruto's head and Ino's life would be secured.

"I am sure, but Hokage-sama, I will make the seal a permanent one. One with fatal consequences if it is removed." Naruto emphasized the last part more for the sake of the Yamanaka clan leader as he felt the man deserved to know before he tried having some seal master attempt to remove it if Naruto went missing or was killed in action.

"Alright... Now we just have to wait for Ino to get back from the restroom and readying herself."

"So we have an hour or so?" The sudden bit of humor from Naruto caught the Hokage and Inoichi off guard, but Kakashi couldn't help but let out a chuckle. After such an intense debate on the life of a man's child, the joke had been perfect for diffusing some of the tension. "What's so funny?" Naruto wasn't sure what Kakashi was laughing at, but he figured if he shared it, maybe the old man and Ino's father would calm down a bit.

"You'll understand when you're older." Kakashi gave an eye smile and the Hokage nodded sagely. _Yes, he would learn the burdens of being a man one day._

"Okay? So can Kakashi and I go? He has a D-rank planned for today, and I have the training you authorized." The Hokage nodded and Kakashi headed for the door with Naruto behind him. Just before stepping out Naruto stopped and turned back to the Hokage and Yamanaka clan leader.

"Understand that I didn't do this as a favor to either of you... Ino told me I'm a monster and I plan to become one strong enough that no one will dare try and hurt me. But I will not harm those that have done me no wrongs. Your words saved your daughter this day. Oh and I'll be leaving him to see how your daughter takes the news and for the Hokage to tell me where I can learn how to create seals. " With that the boy created a clone, turned back, and let the door close behind him leaving the clone behind.

_Now I guess I just got to create enough to handle whatever the team needs... Five? Nah, better safe than sorry, if it's the one with that stupid cat everyone warned me about I'll need ten or twenty at least._ Creating the work force he told one to head for the assignment area and the other nineteen to keep an eye on the situation and go as necessary.

_Now I just have to go check up on Anko... If I don't live through the encounter I guess Ino gets out of the seal._ He shook his head and started walking towards her apartment. _Maybe she's not even up yet? _

Naruto personally doubted it as she had never been so hammered that she missed a chance to beat Naruto to a bloody and exhausted pulp, but who knew? Maybe today would be the one she didn't. Naruto wasn't in too much of a hurry and walked around a bit, noting the way the village acted as he walked by. It was kind of funny actually, these people had regarded him as a murderer and their eyes still were filled with hatred but he had taken a job defending them.

_No... Not them...__ I'm defending home._ He would defend the village with honor as it was home, not the best of them but it was home. And home meant Anko. Looking up at the door he was standing in front of, he took a cautious breath. Never knew if Anko was going to spring some sort of trap. Bracing himself for the worst, Naruto quickly opened the door and jumped inside slamming the door shut behind him.

_Deep breaths, check your surrounds, feel for traps and men, then make a plan. _All of this flashed in Naruto's head as the well drilled words ran through his thoughts, and he followed them. He didn't let his heart race and took deep breaths, allowing his eyes to adjust to the darkness of Anko's apartment. Looking around he saw no traps, no men, and more surprisingly, a passed out and drunk Anko sitting at the table.

_She's been drinking heavy...The hell for? She seemed pretty good last night, and excited to train... Maybe she had to prep to enter that training ground? Oh, dear Kami... If she's SCARED of the place... Well, guess a kid is dying today..._ Walking over to Anko he tried to wake her. "Hey Anko, you okay?" He shook her shoulder lightly but all he got from her was some light snoring.

_Damn, she must be out of it... Guess there's only one thing to do... _With a small smile, Naruto summoned two clones to help comfortably lift Anko and carry her over to her bed. "Hey boss, we going to hop in with her?"

"No, just lay her on the bed and pull up the covers. And stop staring at her, it's weird."

"Both of you shut up, we've got shit to clean."

"Not it!" The two clone's touched their fingers to their noses and popped into twin clouds of smoke. Grumbling lightly about how some of his clones avoided work, Naruto went back to the kitchen and picked up one of the three bottles of sake.

The first was empty...

The second was just as empty...

Naruto let out a sigh of relief as he found the third to have near all of it's sake in it, and given that the table reeked of the stuff, it was likely Anko had been spilling as she tried to cope with whatever the hell she had been drinking for.

In a sudden spill of information Naruto's clone with the Hokage burst and let him know that Ino had taken the news well. She had restrained herself long enough for the Hokage to tell Naruto where he could get the scrolls to learn the basics of seals before she had glared at the clone about to do something when the clone burst. _Man, I wish I could have seen her surprise. Guess she rather likes her voice._

Shrugging Naruto went back to cleaning the kitchen, tossing the bottles and checking to see if any food had rotted. Finding that everything was actually relatively clean, Naruto debated his options. _Passed out Anko, no mission to go to... I think I know what my plans for the day are._ Walking quickly over to the bed, Naruto pulled back the sheet and hoped under it to hold Anko.

She let out a whisper of something Naruto couldn't hear and hugged against him placing her head on his chest. Naruto found it was one of the easiest ways to keep Anko asleep and he got to hold her. Win-win the twelve year old happily thought. Anko was pretty quiet when she slept, but she kept muttering things that he couldn't quite hear today.

_The alcohol in her system making her a bit more talkative?_ Apparently so as Naruto had never really heard her before but now she practically didn't shut up. _Heh, you wouldn't spill a word if you were under even the most strenuous of tortures but with a little sake you're saying all sorts of-_

"Naruto..." She had whispered once again but this time Naruto had managed to catch one word, his name. Straining to hear more, he started to hear more from the muffled whispers coming from his chest.

"There's reasons I... sorry but..." The last of her words were lost as she gently pulled Naruto closer as she straitened out. This resulted with Naruto now face to face with Anko, and very distracted. He was in love with Anko but he had never really payed attention to her looks. He never realized she was so... _Pretty. How did I never notice that? Must have been that most of the time I was partly drunk or beaten black and blue._

Gazing at her sleeping features Naruto began to make small observations that he usually looked over or missed. Her hair wasn't up in her usual ponytail and was actually fairly long, some of it falling over her face the jet black a stark contrast to her skin. She had no wrinkles of the small frowns she occasionally made and she had a light smile played across her lips.

She looked radiant and Naruto didn't know why but his heart beat faster. It was strange, he had been next to her so often, held her so many times, and even held her hand, but this was the first he noticed just how beautiful she really was. _Maybe the whole sexiest kunoichi title isn't so boastful._ Naruto looked back to her eyes and saw they were open, the smile even wider.

"Thinking of something gaki?" _Your eyes are beautiful too._

"Oh, uh... No. I was just... Ah... I mean..." Naruto closed his eyes. "Ya I guess I was." He got a bit red but if he was going to stutter and sound stupid may as well not deny it.

"Relax gaki, no need to get nervous even if you are in bed with the sexiest kunoichi in Konoha." She grinned happily as Naruto got even redder and his stammer got worse.

"That's not... No, I mean... I just... You were... God damn it!" Getting fed up with stuttering Naruto just rolled over so his back was facing Anko.

"Awww, don't be that way. I'm just teasing you. Besides, we've done this before. Seriously what has you so bothered?" It was fun teasing Naruto when she got the chance but today he seemed a lot easier to mess with. It had her interest's peaked.

"I just noticed some stuff okay?" Naruto's answer was cryptic but Anko wasn't one of the best in T & I for no reason. Hugging against Naruto's back she gently pulled him tighter so he could feel her warm body against his and his ear was brought to within whispering distance.

"Stuff like?"

"S-s-s-stuff..." Naruto barely managed to get the first word out, she could see he was bright red.

"Stuff like the girls in your class?" The redness suddenly dropped from his face as his look of embarrassment turned to one of sadness instead.

"Ya... Stuff like that." Sitting up, Naruto worked his way out of the bed and sat up not able to bring himself to face Anko.

"No more jokes, tell me now. What's went on? Tell me gaki." Her voice lost it's humor as a thought like the ones she had drowned last night in sake surfaced. _If some bitch kunoichi hurt him I'll skin her._

"I had to deal with a problem of a certain S-rank secret about me. Why didn't you tell me what happens if anyone but me tells people Anko?" Naruto looked back at her and she knew immediately what had occurred.

"One of your classmates had a big mouth?"

"Ya... I almost let them execute her, but in the end I decided it would be better if she lived after some... Persuading... by the Yamanaka clan head. So instead of being killed she'll be getting a seal. It was the best thing I could come up with since the Hokage-" Naruto was completely unsure of how to react as Anko suddenly grabbed him and pulled him down onto the bed.

She was now above him and had him held down by a hand on his chest a knee on either side of his waist. In a voice bordering between restrained anger and unrestrained venom she asked Naruto, "What do you mean by persuaded and a seal?"

"Um... Is this necessary?" Naruto contemplated how she had looked beautiful from the side but with her above him and her fair falling around them Naruto wondered if there wasn't an angle the woman looked great from.

"Absolutely, you're pinned and I don't want you to go before explaining the whole story from the beginning. You're trying to avoid details so I thought I would just skip along to the part where you just tell me what went on."

"And asking politely would have killed you?" Naruto smiled as Anko seemed a bit frustrated with the boy. In truth he didn't mind being held down by her at the moment.

Slowly, Anko leaned down and whispered into Naruto's ear, "Being a smart ass is about to kill you. Now answer the fucking question!" In truth Anko wasn't to keen on details about anything in particular, but something about having a seal placed on his classmate had struck a nerve Anko didn't know she had. Seals weren't something she was too fond of...

Naruto started from when he woke up and spoke of everything that happened up until she had opened her eyes. Anko was livid at Naruto for what he had done and had only one question to ask him before he saw the full might of a pissed of Anko, and the wrong end of a snake contract. "Why would you do that to a girl Naruto? What would posses you do something like that?" Okay, maybe two questions.

"She revealed secret information, and made everyone believe I really am a monster. That... And because of you" Naruto didn't flinch at Anko's rage, on the contrary, he seemed quiet calm.

"What the hell do you mean for me? What does putting a seal to render a girl mute have to do with me?"

"How the fuck else was I going to get to see scrolls otherwise forbidden to look at for my level? You think I haven't noticed what's on your neck? I don't know a damned thing about it other than in your sleep you start crying about it... I wanted to find a way to get rid of it... I started reading books and scrolls but there's nothing in there about your mark. I had to find a way to check the Hokage's library." Naruto sat there as Anko stared at him, an uncomfortable silence settling between the two.

"You want to get rid of it?" Her voice was small after she had waited a few minutes to speak. No one had ever really cared enough about the seal to ever attempt to rid her of the mark, they had studied it plenty of times sure, but the Hokage and his seals experts said that as it wasn't directly affecting her and as far as they could tell it was causing no long term harm there was no true reason to use resources on it.

"I want you to be happy Anko... It might take me a while but I won't let whatever it is keep hurting you..." He really didn't know what else to say. Anko moved off the boy and stopped pinning him, opting to lay beside him.

_I am happy gaki... I am happier than you know. I have you gaki. I have someone I care about, someone to call family._ Anko wasn't one to let anyone get close after her ordeal with her sensei and all the fallout she had had to endure as a result of it but Naruto was different. She had spent time with him and knew that he understood her pain of being alone. Completely and utterly alone.

But they had saved each other from that black fate and instead had come to terms with some of they shit they had had to deal with before. They had someone they could rely on, someone to come back home to. Naruto had told her he loved her, but the way she felt was that of his protector. She loved Naruto and never wanted to see him hurt, something she had never thought would cross her mind.

_It's strange... I was so set against trusting anyone again, so guarded, but somehow we just fell in together. I have someone I can trust... Something I never thought I'd allow a second chance for._

Her thoughts unheard by Naruto she thought of a better way than saying anything to show a little of her gratitude. Turning to Naruto she leaned forward and kissed his cheek before saying, "That's nice of you to think of me but there are other things you could have done to get the information. Alright, I've had enough laying here, lets go." Anko was up and throwing on gear before Naruto had managed to exit the powerful spell the soft kiss had put on him.

_She kissed my cheek... She kissed... MY cheek... _Today was turning out to be a HELL of a day! Naruto couldn't stop grinning as he followed after Anko, sure that everything was going to be going his way today.

That's when ten clones popped at once.

* * *

**Memories**

"Naruto, where were you! We've been waiting here for so long, and where is Kakashi-sens... What are you wearing?" Sakura was yelling at the clone, pausing for a moment to ask the last bit, and he wasn't too sure what he was supposed to say.

"I was attending to a matter with Hokage-sama as was Kakashi-sensei. I am sorry to have angered you, and this is my new clothes. Someone close to me got them for me." The clone gave a small bow to Sakura.

"Oh... Well then. If you were talking with the Hokage, I guess it's okay." Sakura was caught a bit off guard by the apology and didn't press for details.

"All of you ready for your first missions?" Kakashi shushined in front of the waiting genin with a smile and holding a couple of scrolls.

"Aren't we supposed to only take one mission at a time Kakashi-sensei?" The clone figured he may as well ask, as there were nineteen clones eager to pop and get out of doing any sort of work.

"Usually yes, but the missions are simple enough and shouldn't take us all that long to complete. The hardest is the last one so there won't be training. Instead I hope you'll all go out together to learn a little more about each other." _It also wouldn't hurt for you guys to try and become a better unit. Focus on the team, not the individual._

"Naruto and I will spar once we finish the missions." The way Sasuke spoke worried him a bit but he figured that it would be alright.

"Ya sure, sounds like an excellent chance to hone our skills." The clone smiled at Sasuke and he scowled. _This time I won't lose to you... I will defeat you and get stronger._

"Alright then lets get started by pulling weeds." Kakashi gave his signature eye smile and started heading out. Sasuke was quickly behind him as he wanted it done and over to get his revenge match, and Sakura was at Sasuke's heels for obvious reasons. The clone smiled and was about to walk after them when he was roughly yanked from behind and was looking up into the faces of more clones.

"What's up guys?"

"Your turn is over, now it's time for him to head out." The clone on his right nodded at him.

"Does it matter which one of us goes with them? As long as they don't find out Boss isn't around we should be good. Why did Boss even make so many of us?"

The clones looked to each other and shrugged. None of them had an idea as they were only had Naruto's memories up to thirty seconds before their creation. The scroll had said something about short term memory not transmitting to clones... Whatever the hell that meant. What the clones did know was that it meant that Naruto's immediate thoughts didn't transfer to them.

The upside was that if he created a thousand clones to brainstorm a problem, he was liable to get a couple hundred different responses and figure out whatever he was trying to. Then the one with the answer could simply pop and he would know it. The downside was that if he only just came up with the problem he had to repeat it in his mind a couple times before the clones could be summoned knowing it.

"Dude, what are you doing here? Go after our team!" The one that had been yanked back was looking to the one that was supposed to go.

"Oh, that's right!" In a burst of speed he was gone, and nineteen clones thought the same thing. _Idiot._

"These are the weeds we'll be pulling." Kakashi had decided to explain what was going to be happening on the job as they waited for Naruto. "The client has asked us to pull them, and not to disturb her other plants. Got that? Do I need to go over the types of plants that are weeds for you?" He had his usual pleasant demeanor and Sakura and Sasuke both shook their heads.

"Alright, this is more for team building than anything else so go ahead and get to it." Sasuke picked one side of the garden and Sakura naturally chose a spot pretty close to his. _Guess I should expect that for the painting mission as well... Let's just hope that Tora doesn't provide too much of an issue._

In a blur of a wind, a panting Naruto stood in front of Kakashi. "Sorry, got caught up in my thoughts. Weeding right?" Kakashi just simply nodded before pulling out his Icha Icha and starting to read from a position he could watch the kids. _Naturally Naruto will choose the spot next to either the pretty young kunoichi or his rival and sling either insults or compliments._

The pattern really did happen way too often in the academy. It was just inevitable with this format. Naruto walked towards Sakura and Sasuke and paused. _Here it comes._ "Hey where do you guys want me to work at?" _Huh?__  
_

"Oh there you are baka. Go get that section with the most weeds, they're pretty tough, maybe you can convince Kakashi-sensei to help you." Sakura didn't bother to look at Naruto as she spoke opting instead to gaze at Sasuke.

"That or..." The clone turned around and yelled for a couple of clones. "Hey guys, could use some help. Get your lazy asses over here!" Kakashi watched as the clones jumped out of the trees. He counted nineteen, and only nine jumped forward the other ten remaining in the tree. _Odd..._

"Guys we're weeding this plot here!" Pointing at the spot he meant, the first Naruto went to work pulling the weeds. The nine then began to help Naruto and it was short work before they moved onto the next plot. By the time Sakura and Sasuke had finished their plot all the other ones were done and the clones had begun talking to each other.

"I'm pretty sure the Boss is fine."

"Nah, Boss is training with HER, he's screwed."

"You guys, shut up. Besides, I trust Boss. He hasn't been knocked out so the man must be alright."

"Or he's not fighting too hard and just dodging her."

"Could be trading blows if he's timing it right."

"What the hell are you guys talking about, who is this 'her'?" The clones jumped when Sakura asked the question, then began to look guilty.

"We can't tell. Boss said it's a secret." One of the clones felt she deserved some kind of answer.

"What do you mean by Boss? One of you is the real Naruto isn't he?" Sakura was more than slightly annoyed with the clones.

"Weeeeeeeeell... About that..." The ten clones dispersed into a puff of smoke.

* * *

**Naruto**

He chuckled lightly. _Clones did that on purpose. Eh, I'll deal with the fallout later._ Getting up and following after Anko, Naruto had to pick whether he was going to the Hokage's library to study up on seals or follow after Anko to train in the forest. He debated whether he cared more for his personal safety or spending time with her. Creating a five more clones he did the logical thing.

"You guys go study up on seals. Every night create a clone to replace you. Then tell them to create a clone the next night and so on? Got it?" The five clones gave nods of understanding and took off. _This will be interesting... Wonder how they'll do by themselves._

He shrugged and took off after Anko. His mind could be taught by the clones but his body needed him to actually physically train it. He really had no choice but to go after her.

"So what's the plan here? I asked you to teach me but I never asked what that means, and last time you had me fighting your snake summons with full intention to let them eat me if I didn't beat them." Naruto gave Anko a critical eye but all she did was chuckle.

"You're just going to be camping gaki. I'll come give you a list of things to do in the morning and you try to accomplish it. Really simple stuff."

"Then why is it called the Forest of Death?"

"Because people die in there all the time. What else would cause them to name it that?" The way Anko said it so easily bothered Naruto.

"People like, stupid civilians that wonder in?" Anko thought for a moment and nodded her head, which was a huge relief.

"Ya, civilians, genin, even the occasional chunin. They can die in here pretty easy." His relief was washed away with a flood of apprehension, then he steeled himself. He was supposed to be getting stronger to never have to be attacked again. To always be able to protect himself. On any front.

"So is the forest going to train my mind as well or just my body?" Anko was getting kind of sick of the questions but she figured it was natural for someone going into unfamiliar territory. Her head gave a slight twinge of pain as she was still hungover, she had just gotten so used to being awake, inebriated or sober, that a hangover didn't affect her all that much.

"Shut up and maybe you'll find out. We're here." Anko had taken her time walking the streets to one of her favorite places. For some reason, to Anko the forest was a home away from home. In there she could hone skills and blow off steam, and no one glared at her as she walked by. No one talked trash in loud whispers as she passed by them. No bullshit.

_No Naruto..._ That had been an unintended price she had to pay before whenever she came here. Now though... "Alright gaki, you've got permission to enter here but I have to legally warn you about a few things as I'm the one that's supposed to take you in there. The creatures in there can range from normal size to being huge. There doesn't seem to be a growth limit, just a point where animals begin to starve to death because they can't find enough meat."

"Okay. So the animals may be bigger than average..."

"Ya, they also might have poison that they usually don't. Some of the things in there have... Mutated? That's the best word for it, but everyone thinks it was made like this to be a proving ground, and today, you'll be proving yourself. Here's your list of things to do today. The things I wrote in red I expect to be completed and mastered by the time I come back tomorrow morning."

Naruto took the list and looked at it skeptically. "I'm going into a place alone that is famous for killing people? That sounds irresponsible... I like it." She had been about to say something when he had paused but his answer pleased Anko. _Damn right you will._

"Alright, nothing too big should be awake right now. Anything bigger than a house is usually asleep until the sun goes down. So you should be fine. Have fun!" With a wave she shushined away and Naruto assumed she had left for dango. _That was fast... Wonder what's on the list._ Taking a look at it, he noticed three things.

The first, the note actually had the instruction "Survive" written in red at the top. Second, there was nothing else written on the piece of paper. Third, he was actually excited at the prospect of entering. He wasn't using the note for a delaying tactic...

Another burst of memories decided to hit as he stepped into the forest.

* * *

**Memories**

Jumping from the tree another clone landed on the ground by Sakura and Sasuke. "Hey guys. Miss me?" Sakura closed her eyes and took a deep breath to keep from hitting Naruto and Sasuke didn't justify him with a response. "Guess not... So time for the next mission right Kakashi-sensei?" Naruto offered a small smile to the man.

"Sure Naruto. It's just around here so it shouldn't be hard to stay with everyone." Kakashi got up and started walking without even taking his eyes from the book.

"Think he'll trip while reading that?" Naruto tossed the question back to the two and didn't receive a response. Likely they were wondering the same thing. Following behind Kakashi they saw that he expertly navigated the crowds of Konoha, and didn't seem the slightest bit inhibited by having something so close to his face.

"Here it is." Kakashi suddenly took a left, walking straight up to a house with a completely unfinished paint job. "Got lost for a second at that last turn." Naruto just smiled at Kakashi's antics as it was nice to know that every ninja seemed to have some level of insanity. Sakura was less impressed that he had gotten lost.

"You were LOST?! Maybe because you were staring at a book the entire time we were walking Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura's accusation seemed fairly accurate but the team were all surprised with Kakashi's answer.

"Ever think I pretend to read the book and actually pay attention to my surroundings? That I don't actually read a letter of it but pretend so that in case of an ambush they are likely to attack the 'least aware' first?"

"I... Well... I didn't... You really look like you're reading it!" Sakura just let up with an exasperated sigh and threw her hands up.

"That's because I was. It's a good book." Kakashi couldn't keep the smile out of his eyes as he frustrated the pink haired kunoichi to no end.

"But you just said-"

"Why would I fear getting ambushed in the village Sakura?" Kakashi's question caught her off guard and as she had no immediate answer he decided it was a good time to get them started. "Come along we've got some painting to do."

"Hey, Sakura. If it makes you feel better I was going to ask the same thing." The clone tried to cheer up his teammate that had descended into a black mood but was rewarded with a glare that made it take a few steps back. Tripping on some loose gravel the clone fell back and hit his head against a the road popping into a cloud of smoke.

* * *

**Naruto**

_What is it with those clone's and pissing off Sakura? I understand it's funny but still they're supposed to be keeping crap under control._ He shrugged it off, he'll have to just dig himself out of it when he met back up with the team. Taking the another step into the forest of death he wondered why she had made the only instruction "Survive". The forest couldn't be that bad could it?

**A few hours later**

It could be the most abysmal and desolate place he's ever been in. THAT'S how bad it could be. Since stepping foot into the place, his luck had gone from bad, to horrible, to damn near catastrophic. _So I guess that's why she felt the instruction in red..._ Maybe she had expected him to do something stupid. He wasn't sure how walking in alone, and unprepared didn't count.

_Guess this is rather intensive physical training. _Looking around he tried to see if there was anything else trying to take a bite out of him. Not even twenty minutes inside the fence, he had found out there were wolves; sixty, he had found out the spiders were large enough to catch elephants if they wanted; hundred in, he had found out that there were flowers that could spit acid.

And those were some of the better parts of his trip so far. Taking a deep breath he tried to figure out just what the hell he was going to do to follow Anko's very clear and extremely precise instructions. _I could use an earth jutsu for a pitiful shelter, but I need to find some water. Food shouldn't be a problem if I can catch some smaller wild animals... Cooked meat should be the safest bet on food out here._

Looking around at the massive trees, Naruto figured that water had to be abundant. _Just have to find the right source._ Pumping a little chakra into the soles of his feet, Naruto blasted off the wood and began to shoot from branch to branch on his way to the tops of the trees. A clearing of leaves would be what he's searching for.

In a forest this dense, a clearing would probably mean either something big enough to destroy the mammoth trees or water. Finally making it high enough to get out of the dense leaves, he started searching for what could either be the death of him, or his saving grace.

Clones always disperse at the worst of times when you don't monitor them...

* * *

**Memories**

Another clone jumped from the shade of the trees landing besides Sakura and Sasuke. She eyed the newcomer with more than a small amount of suspicion. "The real Naruto isn't coming is he?" The clone shook his head. The truth was going to come out anyways, might as well be now.

"The boss is currently getting trained. He's in training ground 44 with Anko. I think..." The clone scratched his head and gave Sakura a smile. "I don't rightly know since our memories aren't the same anymore."

"You mean you don't know where he is? What if he's in trouble or something?" Sakura didn't really care whether he was or wasn't but she had heard teams could be disbanded if they lacked enough members.

"If he's dead, I'll pop. If he's knocked unconscious, I'll pop. He get's bored and decides to make all his clones pop, I pop. Don't worry anyways, I'm sure signing a waiver and needing the Hokage's permission was just a show."

"Wait what?" Sakura wasn't a gossip freak but this still sounded like a big deal. "He had to sign a waiver? Is that what you were in the Hokage's office for?" Maybe she was just curious about her teammate, maybe she was just a bit of a gossip.

"Oh that? Nah, the boss just had to attend to a few matters involving things." The clone tried to be cryptic enough that he wouldn't need to mention what had happened to Ino.

"Please define 'things' Naruto." Sakura was already in a bad mood and had gotten rid of one clone today, two was starting to look like a good number.

"Um... Well the thing is..." The clone wasn't afraid to pop, but the way Sakura was glaring at him, he figured it was the Boss that was going to really pay. "The thing is... You have to ask Kakashi-sensei about it."

"Talk to me about what? I just got the paint so we could get started." He smiled down at the clone and Sakura hoping to maybe take off some of the heat from Naruto and possible get the team to work together a little.

"What happened with Naruto in the Hokage's chambers?" Sakura wasted no time switching targets.

"Oh, Ino was going to be executed because she spread an S-class secret. So who wants to paint which walls?" He held out the paint brushes with a casual look while Sakura looked shocked and scared for her friend while Sasuke looked intrigued.

"Executed? What classified information did she spread?" Sakura was white as a sheet and could hardly speak above a whisper as she questioned to the fate of her friend.

"Naruto's 'tenant'. She told five genin. She might have been able to be forgiven for one as she didn't know the law she was violating, but she told five. There was just no way he could ignore it. If it had been some other kind of secret or classified information she could have put the village at a huge risk. It is a shinobi's duty to think of the safety of the village and what the flow of information can do."

"So Ino is... Ino... Was..." Sakura looked like she was about to cry and Kakashi felt a little guilty.

"No, Ino is fine. Naruto was able to come up with a suitable punishment that didn't involve her being buried. She's even still a shinobi." His words were quick and comforting but Sakura wasn't sure if she should get her hopes up. Ino had been her rival to Sasuke, a pain in her ass, and one of the people Sakura wanted to maim on a near daily basis... But she was also one of Sakura's closest friends.

"But you just... What did Naruto's opinion matter? What did he do?"

"Well, about that... He..." Kakashi looked down at Sakura and saw the tears building. Kakashi was a superior shinobi, a terrific tactician, and could resist days, months, possibly YEARS of torture... But looking into her eyes and seeing a girl in tears, no man can blame Kakashi did. "Naruto, why don't you let her know what happened?"

"What why-" The clone was about to protest but looking into Sakura's eyes when she turned to him for answers, he realized why Kakashi had thrown the line of questioning to Naruto. "Ah, that's why. Look Sakura, the secret was about me so I get the final say in the punishment I guess. I was persuaded to change it to something else by the Yamanaka clan head."

"Something else?" Sakura's eyes lost the teary look.

"She's going to be made mute. Boss has to learn some fuinjutsu and do it."

"How is that baka going to learn how to do something like that? No one uses seals for anything anymore, and what if he screws up? He could make her hands stop working or block her chakra networks or something!" Sakura was well aware that the art of sealing was now a dying art. She had read a little about it in order to be able to make her own storage scrolls but instead had ended up filling her room with an acrid smoke that didn't disperse for days.

She hadn't made an attempt at it again afraid it would do something even worse. "Even one small screw up can change the entire seal!"

"Then I guess the Boss just won't mess up. He could put it on clones like me to prove he can do so without problems. Now that we're done with this conversation, can we get started? As much as I enjoy keeping from working, the client looks about ready to yell at us." Naruto pointed over the worried kunoichi's shoulder towards a very agitated middle aged man.

"But I had more questions!"

"Yes but Naruto is right. I'm sure you could continue the conversation while we paint and after it's done." Kakashi cut off the young girl and handed each of the genin a brush. "You all need to work on team building, so let's see some real bonding out there!" All three of the genin looked at him like he was a mad man, causing him to give an inner sigh.

_This is going to take some work..._ Kakashi walked over to a nearby tree and sat beneath it, once again taking out Icha Icha. _I'll wait and see if they can develop as a team but the way they're acting... Naruto didn't even show up, Sasuke can't be bothered to care, and Sakura is trying to switch between demanding information and fawning over Sasuke..._

Things were not looking good so far for his team, but Kakashi believed in them. He had seen worse combinations do well.

"Baka, move so I can talk to Sasuke-kun!"

"I picked this spot first! Why should I move?"

"You're standing in the way of true love!"

"Really? I'll gladly get out of the way of Sasuke and whoever that may be! Where is she?"

Kakashi could hear Sakura grating her teeth together even at his sizable distance. "I meant ME baka!"

"Oh well if it was true love how come he hasn't agreed to any one of your advances? Doesn't that imply that he's not interested?" Sakura didn't even need a moment to think before her answer.

"Sasuke and I are destined to be together, we were even put on the same team. Kami has destined our love!"

"With that logic you have just as much a chance with me. Or I could end up with Sasuke. Your logic is rather flawed Sakura."

"What do you mean with YOU?! I could never love someone like you! My heart belongs to Sasuke-kun. And Sasuke doesn't like boys!" Naruto couldn't help but laugh at her rather pitiful words.

"The way you think of me is exactly the way your 'beloved' thinks of you. He doesn't want you. Get over it. And just for the record, I don't either. I was just making an observation with the flawed logic you say is what justifies your stupid obsession. If you had put half the effort you put into chasing Sasuke into something more worthwhile, maybe he would have been more inclined to date you."

Kakashi dropped the book slightly to watch Sakura's reaction but she stood there dumbfounded by the clone's words. "You're... You aren't even real! What do you know!"

"I know enough. Specifically what one third of this fence entails. If you don't mind I'll be sitting under that tree over there with Kakashi-sensei." Turning on his heel Naruto made his way over to Kakashi. Looking down at his teacher the clone asked, "Think I went overboard for the Bass Kakashi-sensei?"

Kakashi chuckled softly at the clone's worry. "Honestly it's something she needed to hear but... Maybe not so abruptly or brutally. She'll stop sending that death glare your... his? His way sooner or later. Smart money is on later though." The clone nodded it's understanding and sat beside Kakashi and looked at the fence he had just finished. He had used the help of a few clones while Sakura was busy arguing and it actually hadn't turned out half bad.

"Kakashi-sensei, what's in that book you're reading?" Kakashi eyed the clone for a minute deciding if it was messing with him or not. He weighed his options and decided just to lie to the boy. If he really wanted to know he could always buy a copy himself.

"Lots of things. Mostly boring things. Why do you ask?"

"No real reason, just that you're always reading it. Was curious what could hold your attention like that." With a shrug and yawn the clone fell back into the grass and waited for his companions to finish their works. Sasuke was done much sooner that Sakura, and the men of the group watched the lone female work the fence.

She was moving slowly so as to make sure that the paint coated the wood perfectly and was about halfway done before the clone got up and decided to help her. Quicker she was done, the sooner he got to his own agenda. Taking up the brush he was quick and was working on the fence before she even noticed. She wasn't too happy when she did though.

"Why are you here? I can do this myself!" She was still pissed at the clone evidently.

"Of course you can. But we're a team. Why not help you finish? I've had more than enough time to rest, why don't you go to the tree and see if you have anything in common with Kakashi-sensei." Another clone that had been off to the side, strode forward and took Sakura's brush gently pushing her towards Sasuke and Kakashi.

She didn't require much persuading. She was happy to finally put down the brush, she had been at painting for a while and she had kept going over some areas numerous times to get the paint to set. She had been getting frustrated with the project as a whole, and even though she was still pissed she still had enough humility to say thanks to the clone.

"Thank you Naruto. We still need to talk about Ino though. You're not getting out of that conversation!" Sakura then quickly jogged over to Kakashi and Sasuke sitting under the shade of the tree fairly close to Sasuke.

"Sakura, why are you letting Naruto paint for you? Weren't you all taking a third to do yourselves?"

"Ya we were Kakashi-sensei, but I think Naruto was getting impatient with my slow painting and so took over. It's kind of nice of him after I just yelled at him..." Sakura looked at the boy clad all in black and noticed that as fast as he was moving to paint, not a single drop had stained his jacket. He didn't seem frustrated or angry doing the work, he had a neutral expression and worked quickly applying paint to the section Sakura hadn't finished.

"Why would he punish Ino like that but treat me so differently? Ino and I yelled at him all the time when we were at the academy to get closer to Sasuke... Why is he being kind enough to help me but is openly hostile with Ino now?" Sakura was asking both men the question but a clone answered her question shocking the other genin on the team.

"I treated Ino as she treated me. Blow for blow, she took away the life I had before she spilled my secret, so I took away hers. You on the other hand Sakura, haven't done anything to me besides treat me coldly. I can deal with that I guess, I'm used to others hating me, but we are on the same team now. Whether you or I like it or not, we are. I would rather not have to worry about you guys stabbing me in the back so I'm trying not to be an ass."

"It's not working very well when you put it like that baka!" The clone shrugged its shoulders not bothering to deny it. "I guess that makes sense though... But was Ino telling everyone such a bad thing?" His reaction didn't make much sense, sure she had revealed he was the Kyuubi's container, but that wasn't enough to make the boy hate her was it?

"No, telling everyone I had the Kyuubi I could care less. Convincing them I AM a monster, that's why I did it. Everyone that had been in that room besides you three only were pretending it didn't matter, but when I went to Ichiraku I heard what they really thought. They had to pretend to be my friends so I wouldn't 'snap'. It was for the 'good of the village to keep me under control'."

Naruto's words were bitter as repeated the words he had heard. He shook his head though and let out a sigh. "No use being mad about it. They did what they felt they had to, and complaining won't change it. What's done is done. I won't bother not being the monster they fear, but with you two I figure there's a chance since I told you you both don't hate me."

"I dislike you because you're always trying to keep me separated from my Sasuke-kun... But I guess you're okay enough as a teammate. Just don't drag us down by being a complete baka!" Naruto smiled at her words. _A step down from pure hatred, I think the Boss can work with that._

"Just don't get in the way of my ambition." Sasuke gave the short response and turned away from the clone, watching the clone that was finishing up the painting. _So I guess that's his equivalent of saying he's fine with the Boss._

"Since you all seem to have come together a bit as a team, why don't we leave the one painting and finish up the last job? It should be easy enough." Kakashi stood and began walking without his team, sure that they would follow. Sasuke was the first one up eager to get the job done and spar with the clones, Sakura jumping up after him to just stay by the Uchiha.

The clone was a bit slow to get up not really wanting to get up and go after the Bosses team. It looked at the clone that had finished painting and sighed. The clone would just have to suck it up and take off after them.

The last D-rank was rather simple and hardly took more than fifteen minutes of the teams time. It turned out to be just taking a shy man's love letter across town to a woman. With that readily accomplished, Kakashi walked the team back to their assigned training ground. Turning back to his team of genin, Kakashi didn't even get to offer an excuse to cut their time together short before Sasuke squared off against the clone.

"Fight me dobe." Sasuke assumed the Uchiha ready position.

"Um... I'm not the boss." The clone looked at the boy confused. "One punch and puff of smoke. Not much of a sparing match."

"Then how about you make a bunch more clones. They can take the place of my sparing partner as I beat you over and over." Sasuke narrowed his eyes at the clone preparing to strike at him.

"I should also mention I'm about ready to pop. There's only so long we can stay active before we're forced out of existence. The closer we are to boss though, the longer we can stay active." The clone looked pretty serious and held it's tone as it stated these facts to Sasuke. The boy looked shocked and stood back upright.

"It really works that way?" The clone broke its composure and started laughing at the Uchiha's confusion.

"No it doesn't really work that way but I'm not interested in a fight. Contrary to what you may think puffing out of existence doesn't sound pleasant. I may be just a clone, but it doesn't sound like a good time. We are made with the ability to give the Boss our knowledge. So the way I see it, he's out in a forest training, I should go study up on forest survival techniques, not spend time learning how to fight you. Besides, didn't Boss already say you were stronger? He caught you by surprise and won the fight, say you won the war."

The clone gave a small shrug knowing that the Boss could have probably just beat Sasuke with taijutsu but had been trying to gauge the boy so had instead dragged it out. _Quick strike of a lethal variety in a battle is the best route, don't drag a battle on or you may be caught with a surprise._ Something Naruto had picked up on some of Anko's earlier training methods.

"So how about I take you two out for some food or something? I got enough pay, and I feel bad for turning down your spar and for insulting Sakura earlier." The clone gave an easy smile but Sakura wasn't convinced.

"You're just saying that aren't you?"

"Yup, so you want food or not?" The clone dropped the act held up the pay for the day. "Pick now, eat as a team or eat alone."

"Fine, the dobe owes me a bowl of ramen anyways." Sasuke wasn't happy the clone had refused the spar but short of just openly attacking the idiot what were his options?

"If Sasuke-kun is going..." Sakura's answer was pretty predictable.

"Hey, Naruto you said just the three of you would be going to dinner, what about me?" Kakashi was proud that they had already made plans to go out as a team, but they were forgetting their sensei as part of the team.

"Pay for your own meal Kakashi-sensei. You're a jonin, wouldn't it look embarrassing having a child pay for you? And Sasuke we won't be getting ramen, the Boss promised you the meal, not I. Right now I feel like we could all use some barbecue." With that Naruto started walking the streets of Konoha not waiting to see if Sakura or Sasuke followed.

He heard them fall in behind him and didn't bother seeing who was following, his hearing picking up two sets of feet tapping out a light rhythm on the dirt road. The one directly behind the clone had the careful steps of a shinobi but impacted with too much force marking the sound as being Sasuke's tread. Sakura's was lighter, a soft step that kept quick time.

Arriving at the barbecue house, Naruto ushered in the other two inside. "They make the best-"

"Hey, Sasuke-kun, Billboard Brow, what brings you here?" Ino's voice radiated from inside the establishment and the clone froze. She apparently had not seen the boy clad in black because of the darkness of the door frame. Sasuke turned his back to Ino about to pretend he hadn't heard the greeting when the clone suddenly thrust all the money into his hands.

"Eat on me, I'm not going in." Even after the clone's speech on not puffing out for no reason, it had decided to push the money off on Sasuke and disappear. _Dobe left me here alone with Ino and Sakura... Bastard._

Sakura latched onto Sasuke's arm and pulled him in letting Ino get a good look at the pair of them together. Before Sakura and Ino could enter a screaming match over Sasuke the clone dispersed along with all of the other mission clones.

* * *

**Naruto **

Back in the Forest of Death Naruto saw that the dense foliage covered near everything. There were small sections that seemed to be clear of trees but the only exception seemed to be a clearing in the center of the forest with a tower. From what he could see the tower sat in the middle of a small clearing, so his plan to look for some kind of water that way didn't look like it was going to pan out. He was just going to have to take off for the center and hope that he found water on the way.

It was at least a shelter and would give him an identifiable base camp. Dropping back down to the protruding tree limbs he took off towards the tower. He knew he had a ways to go and if he found water on the way to the tower it would probably make his life a little easier. He spent some time on each branch pausing to see if he could hear some indication of water, but each jump was met with the same disappointment.

It looked like he was probably going to need to gather dew in the morning to get drinkable water. With a small armada of clones it would be quick work to get drinking water, it just meant he had to gather enough water for a full day every morning. Frustrating sure, but not an impossible task. He could set some basic traps and catch some of the wild animals that roamed and he would have a food source. He had basic survival conditions met.

He made his way towards the tower knowing he would make it through the day. He was just glad he hadn't run across any of the larger predators Anko had hinted at. _I think I can handle this. Just got to keep on guard and I'll be fine. Wonder what tomorrows list of things to do will be..._ Naruto thought on it but couldn't even guess at what Anko had planed for tomorrow.

He decided to focus on just getting to the tower. He would know what Anko wanted when she showed up. It took him a few hours to get to the tower but he found that it was well worth the trip when he stumbled upon actual beds inside. The whole tower was set up to accommodate inhabitants for a while, and after a thorough search found there to be water stocked inside.

Naruto was euphoric at the discovery. _Plenty of drinking water, a bed, and safety from the things out in the forest. Seems like a pretty good place to bunker down. _Celebrating his success at surviving day one, he took a couple bottles of water and headed to one of the many bedrooms. He fell back onto the bed and smiled. _Looks like today really is a hell of a day._

With that thought on his mind and a smile on his face he fell into a peaceful sleep.


End file.
